RESTART -“Embracing Growth Mindset, Building Resilience, and Thriving Through Every New Beginning”

Imagine failing at a pivotal moment in your life – a moment you’ve spent years preparing for, dreaming of, and investing everything in. For many, failure at this point might feel like the end. But for some, like Manoj Kumar Sharma, the protagonist in 12th Fail, it became the beginning of a remarkable transformation.

12th Fail, a recent Hindi movie, follows Sharma’s real-life journey from a devastating failure in high school to becoming an IPS officer. It’s a story of resilience, a growth mindset, and relentless determination. As I watched, I couldn’t help but reflect on how these qualities not only shape personal journeys but are essential to thriving in our modern workplaces.

Why Resilience and Growth Mindset Matter in the Workplace ?

In today’s dynamic work environment, organizations are constantly navigating change – from technological advancements to shifts in market demands. Employees face new challenges, evolving roles, and the demand for innovative solutions. Here, resilience and a growth mindset aren’t just personal assets; they’re organizational essentials.

"Growth Mindset is loving challenges & seeing them as an opportunity to grow stronger" - Carol Dweck

But what does resilience look like in a corporate setting? It’s when a team perseveres through a challenging project deadline or when a leader adapts to unexpected budget cuts without compromising team morale. A growth mindset fuels this resilience. It’s the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and effort, inspiring people to embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, and see failures as opportunities for learning.

In 12th Fail, Sharma’s journey highlights these values in a compelling way. He experiences setbacks, doubts, and disappointments, yet he chooses to view each failure as a stepping stone, using his mistakes to fuel his ambitions. This mindset, coupled with emotional intelligence, helps him navigate his journey with clarity and purpose – a lesson for both leaders and employees in any organization.

Reflection: How Resilience and Growth Mindset Shape Behavior, Emotions, and Performance

Resilience and a growth mindset do more than just drive productivity; they shape behavior, impact emotional well-being, and elevate performance.

Behavior: Manoj Kumar’s resilience was tested repeatedly through setbacks and rejections, yet he continued to adapt and persevere. Just like resilient employees in the workplace, he faced challenges head-on, refusing to let failures define his path. His journey demonstrates how seeing setbacks as a path to growth and stepping outside his comfort zone enabled him to develop grit and adaptability. In an organisational setting, when leaders create an environment where learning from failure is valued—much like Manoj’s mentors encouraging him to persevere—employees are empowered to take risks that can drive creativity and innovation.

Emotional State: Manoj’s story highlights how resilience helps in managing stress and staying focused even when the odds are stacked against you. Throughout his journey, he displayed emotional stability, which allowed him to keep his eyes on his goals, despite the pressure and discouragement he faced. In the workplace, this emotional balance is critical for team performance. Emotional Intelligence (EI) plays a key role, as it did for Manoj; by managing his own emotions and staying resilient, he was able to focus on solutions and keep progressing rather than giving up. Employees who practice EI can stay positive and productive, even when challenges arise.

Performance: Manoj’s growth mindset and resilience were the cornerstones of his eventual success. His setbacks only fueled his determination to work harder, learn more, and keep moving forward. Similarly, in a corporate context, resilient teams recover quickly from setbacks and stay engaged in problem-solving. Employees who view challenges as learning opportunities bring fresh ideas and a forward-thinking approach to their work. Manoj’s resilience shows how, when individuals are encouraged to grow and learn, they become more motivated and feel valued, driving their contributions to the team’s success.

Manoj Kumar’s story illustrates that resilience, emotional intelligence, and a growth mindset aren’t just survival tools; they’re foundational for achieving one’s fullest potential—both individually and within an organization.

Tips for Leaders and Employees

For Leaders:

• Model a Growth Mindset: Share your own learning journeys, especially stories of failure. When leaders normalize failure as part of growth, it encourages teams to be fearless in their pursuit of success.
• Foster Psychological Safety: Create a culture where people feel safe to express ideas, take calculated risks, and learn from mistakes without fear of judgment. This safety is crucial for resilience and creativity.
• Encourage Emotional Intelligence Development: Equip teams with tools to understand and manage emotions, both individually and collectively. Regular EI training can build resilience and empathy within teams, leading to better collaboration and problem-solving.

For Employees:

• Seek Supportive Mentorship: A strong mentor can be a powerful catalyst for growth. In 12th Fail, Sharma encounters two very different influences. An IPS officer challenges him with a task to test his abilities but ultimately discourages him, implying that he might not succeed. On the other hand, Sharma’s other mentor, despite his own setbacks, provides unwavering support. This mentor offers him a place to live, study, and grow, creating an environment that fosters resilience and confidence. Seek mentors who encourage and believe in your potential, providing both the guidance and safe space you need to thrive, even when you face self-doubt.
• Embrace Challenges: Step out of your comfort zone and view new tasks as opportunities for growth. This mindset helps build resilience over time.
• Practice Emotional Awareness: Recognize and reflect on your emotional responses to challenges. Being aware of your feelings allows you to manage them effectively, creating a foundation for resilience.
• Seek Constructive Feedback: Actively ask for feedback and see it as an opportunity to learn. Each piece of feedback, even when tough, adds to your growth journey.

The Power of a Resilient, Growth-Oriented Culture

When organizations build a culture centered on resilience and growth mindset, they unlock the potential for sustained success and innovation. Employees become more agile, teams more collaborative, and leaders more supportive. A resilient organization isn’t immune to failure, but it knows how to rise stronger from every setback.

As you reflect on these themes, I invite you to watch 12th Fail. The movie captures the very essence of resilience and the growth mindset in action.

"Restart: Every setback is a setup for a stronger comeback."

And if you’re interested in exploring these ideas further, tune into my podcast with following links, where we dive deeper into stories and strategies for resilience in today’s workplaces.

Click the banner to listen to the conversation with Sarinda Unamboowe on "Rising Strong from Rock Bottom"

A conversation with Dr. Mihirini de Zoysa on "Buiding Resilience through Narrative coaching"

About the writer,

Mohamed Azeem Saheer brings with him over a decade of hands on experience in management both in Sri Lanka and the region. Azeem’s experience in multiple industries offers him the unique ability to offer context and empathetic appreciation for the different programs he runs. Azeem is one of the one of first Genos International Certified Emotional Intelligence practitioner, First riders&elephants certified Emotional Culture Deck Practitioner and International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coache (PCC) in the country. He combines a unique flavor to his programs via Lego Serious Play : bringing the ‘fun’ of our childhood favorite toy Lego and combining it with ‘serious’ topics : enabling an immersion into learning. Azeem is one of the Lead Facilitator at Luminary Learning Solutions

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