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Cultures of Growth: How the New Science of Mindset Can Transform Individuals, Teams, and Organizations
Award-winning social psychologist Mary Murphy offers a groundbreaking reconsideration of individual and team success—showing how to create and sustain a growth mindset in any organization’s culture.Carol Dweck’s multi-million-copy bestseller Mindset transformed our view of individual potential, coining the terms “fixed” and “growth” in a “fixed” mindset, talent and intelligence are viewed as predetermined traits, while in a “growth” mindset, talent and intelligence can be nurtured. In Cultures of Growth, Dweck’s protégé, Mary Murphy, a social psychologist at both Stanford and Indiana University, shows that mindset transcends individuals. A growth mindset culture can transform any group, team, or classroom to reach breakthroughs while also helping each person achieve their potential. Murphy’s original decade-long research reveals that organizations and teams more geared toward growth inspire deeper learning, spark collaboration, spur innovation, and build trust necessary for risk-taking and inclusion. They are also less likely to cheat, cut corners, or steal each other’s ideas. And they’re more likely to achieve top results. In these cultures, great ideas come from people from all backgrounds and at all levels—not just those anointed as brilliant or talented. Discover how a culture of growth helped make outdoor retailer Patagonia a leader in its field; how Satya Nadella transformed Microsoft; how winemakers Robin McBride and Andréa McBride John are leading with a mindset to disrupt and diversify the entire wine industry; and how a New York school superintendent reversed massive inequities for children of color by reshaping the district’s mindset culture. Drawing on compelling examples from her work with Fortune 500 companies, startups, and schools, Murphy demonstrates that an organization’s mindset culture is the key to success for individuals, teams, and the entire organization, teaching you how to create and sustain a culture of growth no matter your role. Create environments where people want to be, where everyone can thrive and achieve their potential, both individually and together. In a world where success seems reserved for a chosen few, Cultures of Growth unveils a radically different approach to creating organizations that inspire learning, growth, and success at all levels.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2024
238 people are currently reading
5219 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
April 20, 2024
If I could make Cultures of Growth required reading for all companies and organized groups, I would — because Mary C. Murphy's research makes it clear that most of them are going about it all wrong. Building on the widely-known mindset research of Carol Dweck, Murphy identifies two distinct cultures in any group: a culture of genius that is based on collecting and rewarding the best inherent talent, and a culture of growth that's focused on attracting those most driven to grow and improve.
I was familiar with the idea of fixed vs. growth mindsets from Dweck's book Mindset, and I have put those concepts to use many times. I really appreciated how Cultures of Growth takes us beyond this foundational concept and shows us how it plays out in real life, where fixed and growth mindsets aren't permanent, but instead are fluid thought patterns that change based on the group culture and current circumstances. Each of us can have both a growth and fixed mindset, multiple times a day!
While this concept in itself is valuable, what I found most useful from Cultures of Growth was Murphy's examination of the mindset triggers that can cause us to switch from a more productive growth-based mindset to one that is more fixed. This helped me to identify programs in our company that were inadvertently rewarding a fixed mindset. After reading this book, I came away with many thoughtful insights on how I can run my team to put a spotlight on opportunities for growth instead.
I was familiar with the idea of fixed vs. growth mindsets from Dweck's book Mindset, and I have put those concepts to use many times. I really appreciated how Cultures of Growth takes us beyond this foundational concept and shows us how it plays out in real life, where fixed and growth mindsets aren't permanent, but instead are fluid thought patterns that change based on the group culture and current circumstances. Each of us can have both a growth and fixed mindset, multiple times a day!
While this concept in itself is valuable, what I found most useful from Cultures of Growth was Murphy's examination of the mindset triggers that can cause us to switch from a more productive growth-based mindset to one that is more fixed. This helped me to identify programs in our company that were inadvertently rewarding a fixed mindset. After reading this book, I came away with many thoughtful insights on how I can run my team to put a spotlight on opportunities for growth instead.
January 10, 2025
Good concept, useful actions (if you can sort them out), but the book is just way too slow.
March 19, 2025
4.25⭐ on 🎧
After seeing some short videos by Mary on learner mindset and growth culture, I was curious to check out her book and research. I love the concepts Mary discusses throughout this book on how leaders can foster cultures that promote learning, curiosity, collaboration, etc as well as the triggers like success of others, wanting to be the expert, etc that trigger a fixed mindset. While probably a bit too long, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who's a fan of Adam Grant's work.
After seeing some short videos by Mary on learner mindset and growth culture, I was curious to check out her book and research. I love the concepts Mary discusses throughout this book on how leaders can foster cultures that promote learning, curiosity, collaboration, etc as well as the triggers like success of others, wanting to be the expert, etc that trigger a fixed mindset. While probably a bit too long, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who's a fan of Adam Grant's work.
June 12, 2024
I wasn’t a fan of Dweck’s Mindset so I shouldn’t be surprised that I also was not impressed with this book. There was no original research, just a compendium of well-worn corporate vignettes that were served up to fulfill the author’s premise. I don’t disagree with it, I just found the book severely lacking in original material.
May 29, 2025
Mary Murphy's "Cultures of Growth" expands on Carol Dweck's mindset research (which I'd read a lot about as a teacher in TFA), demonstrating how an organization's collective beliefs profoundly impact its success. The book contrasts "cultures of genius," which focus on inherent talent, with "cultures of growth," which prioritize development and collaboration. It provides actionable, real-world recommendations for professional teams to shift towards a growth mindset, fostering innovation, psychological safety, and ethical behavior. Murphy emphasizes that a growth culture isn't just about individual belief, but about systemic practices that enable everyone to learn, contribute, and thrive. I felt excited reading this book, and that many of the recommendations were extremely applicable in professional settings within teams. Although no longer a teacher, this book is also used at TFA Institute and I found many of the examples of use in the classroom to be very interesting. This book will definitely impact my role as a parent and employee.
May 27, 2024
Dr. Murphy is a social psychologist and endowed professor at Indiana University. This book builds on her research, which was inspired by fellow social psychologist Carol Dweck's work on fixed vs. growth mindsets (see Dweck's Mindset: The New Psychology of Success). Dr. Murphy studies fixed vs. growth mindsets within organizations and organizational cultures, and presents vignettes - some from her own experiences, others from research she's conducted or general work in social psychology. I think the book makes a lot of good points, but I didn't find this theory overall that compelling when it comes to workplace cultures -- I think there are a lot of factors driving toxic vs. productive organizations besides whether they view employees as having fixed vs. growth potential.
December 18, 2024
I find tool books a bit challenging to read, so I pace myself by reading just one chapter per week; otherwise, I won’t remember much. Culture of Growth is one of those books—it’s a bit dense that I discovered it through the Huberman podcast. The part I like is that it doesn’t rely too much on theory or studies but instead shares a lot of real examples. The concept is fascinating: while we often think of a growth mindset as a personal trait, the book highlights how our environment significantly shapes our mindset, especially in the workplace. Interestingly, the idea of companies seeking to hire “growth mindset” individuals already hints at a fixed mindset culture.
April 23, 2025
mary makes points that feel obvious when you read them, but are so impactful when you actually stop to reflect on who you bring to work every day and what your motivations are. the first half is admittedly a bit slow, but overall i feel revitalised and re-engaged with myself and my goals.
Read
September 13, 2024Interesting read, with the science behind who you surround yourself with truly matters. Those around you infiltrate your mindset. It was a bit dry and repetitive in parts, but enjoyed the premise.
September 22, 2025
Lots of good learning about the difference between fixed mindset and growth mindset, and how companies and bosses can encourage cultures of growth.
January 19, 2025
Just soooo repetitive … I started to get bored only after about 10 pages and it doesn‘t get any better after 100. Then I gave up. The whole idea of fixed vs. growth mindset could have been explained within a 5 pages. The authors repetitive explanations do not add any value. The 2 stars are just for the idea and topic duscussed in the book, which I think is really important.
Do yourself a favor and save time by simply watching a 5-minute YouTube video on the topic or reading an online article. The result will be the same.
Do yourself a favor and save time by simply watching a 5-minute YouTube video on the topic or reading an online article. The result will be the same.
December 5, 2024
Work required reading. The premise is interesting, but it feels like Murphy just reiterates the same point in 20+ different examples of companies that have the wealth and prestige to make these dramatic shifts. I also don’t totally buy that she means growth mindset is not a binary when she continues to speak about it as though it is for the rest of the book.
September 11, 2024
Summary: Cultures of Growth applies the science of mindset, distinguishing fixed and growth mindsets, to the culture of organizations.
Carol Dweck introduced the science of mindset. She posited that individuals function out of one of two mindsets. Either we are functioning out of a fixed mindset or out of a growth mindset. The fixed mindset sees talent and intelligence as fixed or predetermined. That is, you’ve got them or you don’t. The growth mindset emphasizes our capacity to to learn and develop our intelligence and talents.
Mary C. Murphy, one of Carol’s students wondered if this could apply to organizational cultures as well. In other words, what’s happening outside a person may be just as important as what’s happening between their ears. In organizations, the contrast is between cultures of genius, where the object is to recruit geniuses or to try to look like geniuses, versus cultures of growth, offering opportunities of growth for motivated and hard working individuals. One culture tends to be competitive, the other, collaborative.
Murphy has worked with a number of organizations, including Microsoft, in shifting organizational mindsets from cultures of genius to culture of growth. She begins by looking at five factors that signal which kind of organizational culture prevails. First, collaboration measures how well people work together rather than competitively. Second, innovation, looks at whether companies encourage employees to think big versus being cautious and narrow in focus. Third, risk-taking and resilience considers whether employees can take moonshots and are offered chances to learn from failure or whether the fear of failure constrains their efforts. Fourth, integrity and ethical behavior looks at whether employees are encouraged, no matter what, to do the right thing. Or does succeeding require cutting corners? Finally, diversity, equity, and inclusion measures how well organizations recruit and support a broad spectrum of talent.
Murphy then turns to mindset triggers, the situations that can shift people into fixed or growth mindsets. The first of these is evaluative situations, where we either feel we must defend our performance or can learn and develop from it. Next are the high effort situations, where a new product must roll out on tight deadlines. Fixed mindsets shy from such situations, fearing failure, while growth oriented organizations stress the opportunities for advance. A third trigger is how critical feedback is implemented and received. Are people shunted aside when falling short or offered chances to grow and improve? Finally, how do we handle the success of others? In growth cultures this triggers inspiration rather than despair.
What makes this book is the combination of clear explanations and illustrative examples from a variety of business sectors. I’d love to see Murphy apply this to the non-profit sector, particularly religious non-profits. I also wonder how organizational growth affects mindset. Start-ups seem highly growth and learning oriented. I’ve also watched organizations grow more fixed and compliance-oriented as they grow. Yet Murphy has worked with large organizations. It would be interesting to learn more about how they made the transition to growth mindsets, or preserved them.
Organizational culture is such an important part of worker satisfaction. Murphy’s work helpfully addresses a key aspect. It just stands to reason that people want opportunities to grow and give their best when these exist. This is a valuable resource for anyone who leads a work team or larger units within an organization.
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher via LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Program.
Carol Dweck introduced the science of mindset. She posited that individuals function out of one of two mindsets. Either we are functioning out of a fixed mindset or out of a growth mindset. The fixed mindset sees talent and intelligence as fixed or predetermined. That is, you’ve got them or you don’t. The growth mindset emphasizes our capacity to to learn and develop our intelligence and talents.
Mary C. Murphy, one of Carol’s students wondered if this could apply to organizational cultures as well. In other words, what’s happening outside a person may be just as important as what’s happening between their ears. In organizations, the contrast is between cultures of genius, where the object is to recruit geniuses or to try to look like geniuses, versus cultures of growth, offering opportunities of growth for motivated and hard working individuals. One culture tends to be competitive, the other, collaborative.
Murphy has worked with a number of organizations, including Microsoft, in shifting organizational mindsets from cultures of genius to culture of growth. She begins by looking at five factors that signal which kind of organizational culture prevails. First, collaboration measures how well people work together rather than competitively. Second, innovation, looks at whether companies encourage employees to think big versus being cautious and narrow in focus. Third, risk-taking and resilience considers whether employees can take moonshots and are offered chances to learn from failure or whether the fear of failure constrains their efforts. Fourth, integrity and ethical behavior looks at whether employees are encouraged, no matter what, to do the right thing. Or does succeeding require cutting corners? Finally, diversity, equity, and inclusion measures how well organizations recruit and support a broad spectrum of talent.
Murphy then turns to mindset triggers, the situations that can shift people into fixed or growth mindsets. The first of these is evaluative situations, where we either feel we must defend our performance or can learn and develop from it. Next are the high effort situations, where a new product must roll out on tight deadlines. Fixed mindsets shy from such situations, fearing failure, while growth oriented organizations stress the opportunities for advance. A third trigger is how critical feedback is implemented and received. Are people shunted aside when falling short or offered chances to grow and improve? Finally, how do we handle the success of others? In growth cultures this triggers inspiration rather than despair.
What makes this book is the combination of clear explanations and illustrative examples from a variety of business sectors. I’d love to see Murphy apply this to the non-profit sector, particularly religious non-profits. I also wonder how organizational growth affects mindset. Start-ups seem highly growth and learning oriented. I’ve also watched organizations grow more fixed and compliance-oriented as they grow. Yet Murphy has worked with large organizations. It would be interesting to learn more about how they made the transition to growth mindsets, or preserved them.
Organizational culture is such an important part of worker satisfaction. Murphy’s work helpfully addresses a key aspect. It just stands to reason that people want opportunities to grow and give their best when these exist. This is a valuable resource for anyone who leads a work team or larger units within an organization.
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher via LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Program.
October 9, 2024
Mary Murphy aims to take renowned social psychologist Carol Dweck’s theory of growth mindset to the corporate and organizational world. She suggests that a growth mindset is not only something that happens in someone’s head but is also present in team cultures. Murphy uses her knowledge of growth mindset and advises on fostering more effective teams, enhancing leadership, and strengthening organizational cultures.
Her main argument in the book is that adopting a growth mindset - having what she calls a “Culture of Growth” - can create a more successful organization. She believes that a culture of growth can be cultivated as more than just individual traits. Her research looks at the counterpart of cultures of growth as well, “Culture of Genius” and how to identify what culture your team or organization may have. She uses a multitude of real-world examples, talking about recognizable companies and the way that their cultures fit into cultures of growth or genius. Her personal experience with these companies and personal anecdotes from people who work there provide an intimate insight into real companies functioning under different mindsets. This helps readers conceptualize her advice in a way that applies to real-world organizations.
Something especially strong about Murphy’s book is how she extends past the individual’s mindset and looks at broader team dynamics. She talks about how important it is that there is psychological safety in teams, which makes members feel more comfortable taking risks and voicing their ideas without ridicule from others at the company. This supports the individuals' mindset and allows for more ideas to be fostered within the organization. She showcased various examples where companies that have this safety outperform companies that do not.
One limitation of Cultures of Growth is that Murphy sometimes stretches the effect of growth and fixed mindsets without mentioning other factors that may be contributing to the difficulties that the company is experiencing. Although this is understandable, considering her book is all about growth mindsets, it sometimes presents the growth mindset as the “magic wand” of company culture. There is an exhaustive list of tips and strategies to tackle common issues that organizations face, but more discussion of how ingrained operations within the organization can hinder growth mindset efforts could be beneficial to people who are looking to apply this to their teams.
Cultures of Growth is an incredible resource for leaders, team members, and anyone who is part of an organization to broaden their understanding of both their mindset and the mindset of their company culture. Murphy’s insights, backed by real-world examples from well-known brands, make a compelling case for why organizations should move away from the traditional genius, and lean into different ways of thinking in order to thrive in today's fast-paced and competitive world.
Her main argument in the book is that adopting a growth mindset - having what she calls a “Culture of Growth” - can create a more successful organization. She believes that a culture of growth can be cultivated as more than just individual traits. Her research looks at the counterpart of cultures of growth as well, “Culture of Genius” and how to identify what culture your team or organization may have. She uses a multitude of real-world examples, talking about recognizable companies and the way that their cultures fit into cultures of growth or genius. Her personal experience with these companies and personal anecdotes from people who work there provide an intimate insight into real companies functioning under different mindsets. This helps readers conceptualize her advice in a way that applies to real-world organizations.
Something especially strong about Murphy’s book is how she extends past the individual’s mindset and looks at broader team dynamics. She talks about how important it is that there is psychological safety in teams, which makes members feel more comfortable taking risks and voicing their ideas without ridicule from others at the company. This supports the individuals' mindset and allows for more ideas to be fostered within the organization. She showcased various examples where companies that have this safety outperform companies that do not.
One limitation of Cultures of Growth is that Murphy sometimes stretches the effect of growth and fixed mindsets without mentioning other factors that may be contributing to the difficulties that the company is experiencing. Although this is understandable, considering her book is all about growth mindsets, it sometimes presents the growth mindset as the “magic wand” of company culture. There is an exhaustive list of tips and strategies to tackle common issues that organizations face, but more discussion of how ingrained operations within the organization can hinder growth mindset efforts could be beneficial to people who are looking to apply this to their teams.
Cultures of Growth is an incredible resource for leaders, team members, and anyone who is part of an organization to broaden their understanding of both their mindset and the mindset of their company culture. Murphy’s insights, backed by real-world examples from well-known brands, make a compelling case for why organizations should move away from the traditional genius, and lean into different ways of thinking in order to thrive in today's fast-paced and competitive world.
January 14, 2025
#Frankómetro 90%
Pudo haberse llamado: everybody grow now!
Lo recomienda: Batman
Leélo si te gusto: Tribu SA
******
Hay equipos con mentalidad de status, y hay equipos con mentalidad de crecimiento. Los primeros fomentan la competencia; los segundos la misión y el crecimiento. Los primeros son estáticos; los segundos dinámicos.
La investigación de Murphy revela que las organizaciones y equipos orientados al crecimiento son más propensos a inspirar el aprendizaje, fomentar la colaboración, impulsar la innovación y construir la confianza necesaria para asumir riesgos e incluir a todos. También son menos propensos a hacer trampa, tomar atajos o robar ideas de otros. Y tienen más probabilidades de alcanzar resultados sobresalientes. En estas culturas, las grandes ideas provienen de personas de todos los niveles, no solo de aquellos considerados brillantes o talentosos.
Entre las docenas de extraordinarios ejemplos, descubrimos cómo una cultura de crecimiento ayudó a convertir a la tienda minorista de exteriores Patagonia en un líder en su campo; cómo Satya Nadella transformó Microsoft con un enfoque singular en la mentalidad de crecimiento; cómo los viticultores Robin McBride y Andréa McBride John están liderando con su mentalidad para revolucionar y diversificar toda una industria.
Las culturas de crecimiento son entornos en los que las personas desean estar porque son lugares donde pueden prosperar y alcanzar su potencial, tanto individualmente como en conjunto. En un mundo donde el éxito parece estar reservado para unos pocos elegidos, "Cultures of Growth" revela un enfoque radicalmente diferente para crear organizaciones que inspiran el aprendizaje, el crecimiento y el éxito a todos los niveles.
Un libro para líderes, creadores y aprendedores.
Pudo haberse llamado: everybody grow now!
Lo recomienda: Batman
Leélo si te gusto: Tribu SA
******
Hay equipos con mentalidad de status, y hay equipos con mentalidad de crecimiento. Los primeros fomentan la competencia; los segundos la misión y el crecimiento. Los primeros son estáticos; los segundos dinámicos.
La investigación de Murphy revela que las organizaciones y equipos orientados al crecimiento son más propensos a inspirar el aprendizaje, fomentar la colaboración, impulsar la innovación y construir la confianza necesaria para asumir riesgos e incluir a todos. También son menos propensos a hacer trampa, tomar atajos o robar ideas de otros. Y tienen más probabilidades de alcanzar resultados sobresalientes. En estas culturas, las grandes ideas provienen de personas de todos los niveles, no solo de aquellos considerados brillantes o talentosos.
Entre las docenas de extraordinarios ejemplos, descubrimos cómo una cultura de crecimiento ayudó a convertir a la tienda minorista de exteriores Patagonia en un líder en su campo; cómo Satya Nadella transformó Microsoft con un enfoque singular en la mentalidad de crecimiento; cómo los viticultores Robin McBride y Andréa McBride John están liderando con su mentalidad para revolucionar y diversificar toda una industria.
Las culturas de crecimiento son entornos en los que las personas desean estar porque son lugares donde pueden prosperar y alcanzar su potencial, tanto individualmente como en conjunto. En un mundo donde el éxito parece estar reservado para unos pocos elegidos, "Cultures of Growth" revela un enfoque radicalmente diferente para crear organizaciones que inspiran el aprendizaje, el crecimiento y el éxito a todos los niveles.
Un libro para líderes, creadores y aprendedores.
March 25, 2025
77%
Very good book. Not actually about microbiota cultures, which is always going to upset me every time we do this. It didn't say cultures. Cultures? Bacteria? I love cultures. They're so cool. The big problem here is, this has actually been criticized recently, saying it doesn't make as big of an impact as they say it does. One of those things was selectively chosen, because it just sounds good. It's like, yeah, you can conquer anything. Which you can. Like I say, I've cured several diseases myself, or learned how to treat them. They're effectively cured as long as you follow the steps. That's why I said I'm not special. Maybe I am, but anyone can do that. Not something that they said only Charles can do that. My dude, she was weird because she made it sound like she made up the growth mindset thing, and she didn't. I don't remember who did. Or maybe it was someone she knew made it up, she thought, and it wasn't the case. It's one of those things that's recently been criticized more because it's like, eh, it's not that big of a deal, actually. You know, the idea that all of us can be in a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset, I don't agree with that necessarily. Because I thought to myself, oh yeah, maybe I am in a fixed mindset sometimes, and then I realized that's a growth mindset reaction. So I said, well, maybe not. There's no solid proof of that.It's really good though, because it puts in this adaptive growing mindset into people, which is extremely important, especially when people get into this nasty mindset where it's like, I can't do that. Well, you know, if you think you can or you think you can't, either way, you're right.
Very good book. Not actually about microbiota cultures, which is always going to upset me every time we do this. It didn't say cultures. Cultures? Bacteria? I love cultures. They're so cool. The big problem here is, this has actually been criticized recently, saying it doesn't make as big of an impact as they say it does. One of those things was selectively chosen, because it just sounds good. It's like, yeah, you can conquer anything. Which you can. Like I say, I've cured several diseases myself, or learned how to treat them. They're effectively cured as long as you follow the steps. That's why I said I'm not special. Maybe I am, but anyone can do that. Not something that they said only Charles can do that. My dude, she was weird because she made it sound like she made up the growth mindset thing, and she didn't. I don't remember who did. Or maybe it was someone she knew made it up, she thought, and it wasn't the case. It's one of those things that's recently been criticized more because it's like, eh, it's not that big of a deal, actually. You know, the idea that all of us can be in a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset, I don't agree with that necessarily. Because I thought to myself, oh yeah, maybe I am in a fixed mindset sometimes, and then I realized that's a growth mindset reaction. So I said, well, maybe not. There's no solid proof of that.It's really good though, because it puts in this adaptive growing mindset into people, which is extremely important, especially when people get into this nasty mindset where it's like, I can't do that. Well, you know, if you think you can or you think you can't, either way, you're right.
July 21, 2024
MARY MURPHY - CULTURES OF GROWTH 9.5/10
Book 20 of 2024
Mary Murphy presents a compelling argument for fostering a growth-oriented culture in organizations. The book contrasts two types of cultures: growth cultures and genius cultures, and explores their impact on competitiveness, employee engagement, and performance.
Murphy distinguishes between growth cultures, which emphasize continuous learning, and genius cultures, which focus on innate talent. Growth cultures encourage risk-taking, learning from mistakes, and collaboration, making organizations more adaptable and competitive. Genius cultures, however, can hinder competitiveness by discouraging risk-taking and viewing failures negatively.
Employees in growth cultures feel valued and motivated, leading to higher engagement and performance. In genius cultures, the high-pressure environment and fear of failure can stifle innovation and reduce morale.
Leaders in growth cultures foster psychological safety, provide constructive feedback, and create learning opportunities. Genius culture leaders often focus on top talent, leading to unhealthy competition and decreased morale among other employees.
In conclusion, this is a must-read for leaders and managers. Its insightful analysis and practical examples make a strong case for prioritizing growth over innate genius, earning a score of 9.5 out of 10.
Book 20 of 2024
Mary Murphy presents a compelling argument for fostering a growth-oriented culture in organizations. The book contrasts two types of cultures: growth cultures and genius cultures, and explores their impact on competitiveness, employee engagement, and performance.
Murphy distinguishes between growth cultures, which emphasize continuous learning, and genius cultures, which focus on innate talent. Growth cultures encourage risk-taking, learning from mistakes, and collaboration, making organizations more adaptable and competitive. Genius cultures, however, can hinder competitiveness by discouraging risk-taking and viewing failures negatively.
Employees in growth cultures feel valued and motivated, leading to higher engagement and performance. In genius cultures, the high-pressure environment and fear of failure can stifle innovation and reduce morale.
Leaders in growth cultures foster psychological safety, provide constructive feedback, and create learning opportunities. Genius culture leaders often focus on top talent, leading to unhealthy competition and decreased morale among other employees.
In conclusion, this is a must-read for leaders and managers. Its insightful analysis and practical examples make a strong case for prioritizing growth over innate genius, earning a score of 9.5 out of 10.
November 15, 2024
My boss purchased this book for everyone in my office, and it’s the kind of book I’m glad my boss read and even happier that he thought so much of it that he encouraged everyone to read it as well.
This book essentially takes Carol Dweck’s work around fixed and growth mindsets and applies it to organizational behavior, with cultures of genius (you either have it or you don’t) standing in for the fixed mindset and cultures of growth (anyone can learn anything with the proper training) as the growth mindset. It may seem obvious, but as Murphy’s examples show, it’s very easy to fall back into the fixed mindset, especially at an organizational level. There’s a persistent belief among many different organizations at the leadership level that people are either inherently talented and/or smart, and those are the people who should be elevated.
You see this misguided belief everywhere, and it’s often praised as wisdom. But the truth is, people and organizations are malleable, and if we create the proper circumstances, anyone willing to do the work can thrive.
The book gets a little redundant at times, but it’s overall message is a good one.
This book essentially takes Carol Dweck’s work around fixed and growth mindsets and applies it to organizational behavior, with cultures of genius (you either have it or you don’t) standing in for the fixed mindset and cultures of growth (anyone can learn anything with the proper training) as the growth mindset. It may seem obvious, but as Murphy’s examples show, it’s very easy to fall back into the fixed mindset, especially at an organizational level. There’s a persistent belief among many different organizations at the leadership level that people are either inherently talented and/or smart, and those are the people who should be elevated.
You see this misguided belief everywhere, and it’s often praised as wisdom. But the truth is, people and organizations are malleable, and if we create the proper circumstances, anyone willing to do the work can thrive.
The book gets a little redundant at times, but it’s overall message is a good one.
March 7, 2024
I love Carol Dweck’s research on Mindset, and so was thrilled when I learned her protege was extending that research to look into how mindsets shift within organizations. While the original research implies that a growth or fixed mindset is a personal trait and somewhat fixed to the individual, Mary Murphy’s research proves that mindset is actually fluid based on the circumstance- so we need to learn how to adapt ourselves and our environment to get the best results. Murphy gives the why and how of creating a “Culture of Growth” rather than the “Culture of Genius”, and the book is filled with inspiring examples from businesses, schools, and other organizations. If you liked Mindset, you will LOVE this book, and I consider it a must-read for any team leader.
July 20, 2025
I’ve been hearing a lot about growth and fixed mindset and this book was great for shifting those concepts into an organizational perspective instead of just an individual one.
The workplaces and teams we are a part of can dramatically shift our mindset and behavior and not always in the direction we want.
The book outlines two general cultures - culture of genius and culture of growth.
We each have triggers that can put us into a fixed mindset:
1. Evaluative situations
2. High Effort Situations
3. Critical Feedback
4. Success of Others
Overall, really enjoyed this book and will be on the lookout as a leader for when my fixed mindset is triggered and when scenarios arise that may trigger it in others.
The workplaces and teams we are a part of can dramatically shift our mindset and behavior and not always in the direction we want.
The book outlines two general cultures - culture of genius and culture of growth.
We each have triggers that can put us into a fixed mindset:
1. Evaluative situations
2. High Effort Situations
3. Critical Feedback
4. Success of Others
Overall, really enjoyed this book and will be on the lookout as a leader for when my fixed mindset is triggered and when scenarios arise that may trigger it in others.
March 20, 2024
I had other things planned this afternoon, but then Mary Murphy's book was delivered and, well, I devoured it in one sitting.
I had gone in thinking that it would helpful to read as an educator, and, yes, I came away with numerous insights and ideas about how to transform my classroom(s). But Cultures of Growth also got me pondering--or perhaps a better word is "reimagining"--my university. There is so much talk today in higher education about forward-thinking but so much of it is just talk. Professor Murphy offers a concrete vision of how to pursue real organizational change that inspires learning, growth, and success at all levels. Pick this book up and start taking notes.
I had gone in thinking that it would helpful to read as an educator, and, yes, I came away with numerous insights and ideas about how to transform my classroom(s). But Cultures of Growth also got me pondering--or perhaps a better word is "reimagining"--my university. There is so much talk today in higher education about forward-thinking but so much of it is just talk. Professor Murphy offers a concrete vision of how to pursue real organizational change that inspires learning, growth, and success at all levels. Pick this book up and start taking notes.
July 30, 2024
Please note that part of the three star review is due to the fact that this was assigned reading--a summer book study.
I did enjoy all the examples that Murphy gives of real life companies. These abound in the first two sections of the book. Obviously as she compares Cultures of Growth with Cultures of Genius, Theranos and WeWork and Microsoft to name a few negative examples.
I really thought that there would be no new information in part 3 but I probably enjoyed this part of the book the most.
If you're into this sort of book, read it. It's well researched and written.
I did enjoy all the examples that Murphy gives of real life companies. These abound in the first two sections of the book. Obviously as she compares Cultures of Growth with Cultures of Genius, Theranos and WeWork and Microsoft to name a few negative examples.
I really thought that there would be no new information in part 3 but I probably enjoyed this part of the book the most.
If you're into this sort of book, read it. It's well researched and written.
September 12, 2024
Hard for me to rate this one because it's got great information but I didn't learn anything new. I've been lucky to work in a solid culture of growth for at least the last 5 years, and my professional reading as a collaboration coach had already taught me the lessons this book had to offer. So it ended up feeling like a lot of repetitive preaching to the choir.
That said, I would and have recommended it to friends in the tech field who experience way more of the toxic genius culture. I would also hand it to anyone considering revising their DEI practices.
That said, I would and have recommended it to friends in the tech field who experience way more of the toxic genius culture. I would also hand it to anyone considering revising their DEI practices.
February 16, 2025
This is a decent read. Though I am not a fan of social psychology, especially with what Dostoevsky refers to as the belief that people are totally malleable, I appreciated many of the tips and insights of this text. Again, I was not a fan of the unstated assumption of this book that people are equal, and simply need to be properly primed. Especially problematic were the chapters on ethics and diversity, which were not critical of their own assumptions. Regardless, as a skill book, this is an excellent read for both self-help and organizational purposes.
March 21, 2025
This was a really interesting book. A lot of fantastic research discussed throughout the book, paired with practical implications, advice, and tools for organizations to use.
I enjoyed the flow and how the storytelling was done. It’s a business book, but it was still somewhat of a story. And the audiobook is narrated by the author, which was a really nice touch.
The concepts discussed in this book are highly relevant, well explained, and important. I definitely recommend this book and loved reading it.
I enjoyed the flow and how the storytelling was done. It’s a business book, but it was still somewhat of a story. And the audiobook is narrated by the author, which was a really nice touch.
The concepts discussed in this book are highly relevant, well explained, and important. I definitely recommend this book and loved reading it.
April 16, 2024
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I didn't realize it would have so much information for businesses (management) to work on helping their team with a growing mindset. I did enjoy this book but I think it was a little more than I was expecting and it took a lot of energy to consume and process it. I feel like I should have read the mindset book first to not only get a grip but I think I would have enjoyed this book more thoroughly.
July 5, 2024
I have had a sustained interest in corporate culture from years in the HR profession. Murphy's book provides a compelling argument for the advantages of a growth mindset rather than prizing genius or fixed intelligence. I appreciated that Murphy has some practical recommendations for creating and sustaining a growth mindset. Additionally, her book provides a founding of application in other settings, including education.
September 19, 2024
Mary Murphy takes the next obvious step from Carol Dweck's work on growth mindset, by examing entire companies that demonstrate growth cultures versus those that prize what Murphy describes as genius cultures, where intelligence is seen as fixed. Murphy expertly posits that growth cultures are not only more likely to attract and retain engaged talent, but are also more likely to see better resuts as a consequence.
August 13, 2025
Cultures of Growth is a thoughtful, evidence-based look at how environments shape potential. Murphy moves beyond the individual “growth mindset” idea to show how teams, organizations, and even societies can either foster or stifle development. The book blends solid research with clear, engaging storytelling, making complex psychology feel both accessible and actionable. A must-read if you care about building places where people can truly thrive.
September 15, 2025
Quick skim book vs. deep reading. Mostly full of brief anecdotes of companies who have demonstrated growth mindsets vs fixed mindsets but there was nothing new in this book that we haven't heard or read a hundred times before. Recommended as a light read for organizational leaders but there was no connection to the individuals in the organization's and how to seek out or thrive in growth cultures, or foster growth mindsets in a more rigid environment which would have been an interesting take.
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