The mentor's dilemma

David Yeager: 10 to 25

David Yeager is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and the cofounder of the Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute. He is best known for his research conducted with Carol Dweck, Angela Duckworth, and Greg Walton on short but powerful interventions that influence adolescent behaviors such as motivation, engagement, healthy eating, bullying, stress, mental health, and more. He is the author of 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People (Amazon, Bookshop)*.

Older generations have been complaining about younger generations for all of recorded history. Today is no different, and I often hear how leaders are struggling with motivating their younger employees. In this conversation, David and I explore the most recent research and practice for what actually works.

Key Points

• Older generations have been complaining about younger generations for all of recorded history. Often, our complaints are the result of our own past experiences.
• Many leaders experience the mentor’s dilemma: being nice and putting up with poor performance, or being critical and demanding higher performance.
• Status and respect for a young person are as critical as food and sleep to a baby. When satisfied, they can open up much better motivation and behavior.
• The mentor mindset embraces both high standards and high support for the young person you wish to motivate. Because this is a mindset, you can absolutely get better at it.
• When giving feedback to a young person, acknowledge the high standard you are setting and also tell the young person that you believe they can meet that standard.
• Young people have often experienced a lot of “enforcing” behavior from parents, teachers, and coaches. They assume this in the workplace if you don’t make a point to say otherwise.

Resources Mentioned

• 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People by David Yeager (Amazon, Bookshop)*
• The Power of Mindset (Masterclass)

Interview Notes

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• How to Reduce Drama With Kids, with Tina Payne Bryson (episode 310)
• How to Solve the Toughest Problems, with Wendy Smith (episode 612)

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