“Growth is contagious. When you choose to learn and adapt, you give others permission to do the same.” Misty Janks, CEO of the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities, captures the transformative potential of adopting a learner mindset—both for ourselves and the environments we create.
The world isn’t standing still. At work, at home, and within ourselves, those who grow, adapt, and learn are typically the ones who thrive. But what does it really mean to have a “learner mindset”? As Misty explains, it’s approaching challenges with curiosity and resilience, seeing failures not as setbacks but as stepping stones for progress. When paired with a culture that encourages and rewards growth, we create spaces where innovation flourishes.
Discover how to unlock growth at every level—from personal development to organizational transformation. This conversation dives into five actionable tips for individuals to cultivate a growth mindset and five powerful strategies for leaders to create learning-rich environments. Tune in to explore how intentional growth fuels innovation, performance, and retention. As Misty puts it, “Organizations don’t grow. The people inside of it do.”
Whether you’re looking to transform your personal approach to challenges or create a workplace where growth thrives, remember that change starts with one intentional step. What action will you take today to model a learner mindset? Visit our website to explore how the Caring Workplace program can guide your organization in integrating a culture of learning into what you’re already doing.
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Misty Janks: 0:03
Learning is not a break from work. It is the work.
Adam Salgat: 0:10
Welcome to Beyond the Class From Knowledge to Action, the audio cast that helps Chapman Foundation alumni continue the journey of applying the skills they’ve built and turning them into practical, intentional actions for everyday life. Bringing them into practical, intentional actions for everyday life. I’m your host, adam Salget, and today we’re exploring something that has the potential to transform not only the way we approach challenges, but also the environments we create around us. Our topic is the power of a learner mindset. Here’s a truth I believe we can all relate to.
Adam Salgat: 0:42
The world isn’t standing still, whether it’s at work, at home or simply within ourselves. Those who grow, adapt and learn are typically the ones who thrive, but it’s not always easy, is it? What if you could take failures and frustrations and turn them into stepping stones for progress? What if your workplace could go from an oh-hum-same-old-same-old kind of feeling to a space of innovation and energy? To help us unpack this, I’m joined today by Misty Jenks, ceo of the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities. Misty is a thought leader and organizational psychologist who’s passionate about unleashing the power and potential of individuals and organizations. Misty recently wrote a blog titled the Power of a Learner Mindset and a Culture of Learning, and today she’s here to break down how we can cultivate this mindset for ourselves and foster it in our workplaces. Misty welcome and thank you for being here.
Misty Janks: 1:42
Thank you, adam, and hello to everyone listening. It’s an honor to be here. I truly believe that a learner mindset is one of the most impactful shifts we can make, not just for our personal growth, but for our collective success. I’m excited to share steps and strategies that can make this concept actionable for each of you.
Adam Salgat: 2:01
So Misty. Your blog draws this incredible connection between a learner mindset and the environments we create. Before we get into these practical steps that you’ve laid out, can you explain the main idea behind adopting a learner mindset and creating a culture of learning?
Misty Janks: 2:26
challenges with curiosity and resilience. It’s not just about gaining knowledge, but adapting a consistent posture of discovery, whether things go right or wrong. Pair that with a cultural learning where organizations encourage and reward growth, and you’ve got a recipe for increased innovation, engagement and performance. Together, these ideas create environments where individuals and teams don’t just survive, but they thrive.
Adam Salgat: 2:49
Misty. That definitely sounds great and inspiring, but the question I think many listeners might be having at this point in time is where do I even start? If someone wants to cultivate the mindset for themselves, you know what are the first steps that they should take.
Misty Janks: 3:03
Great question, adam. The good news is, cultivating a learner mindset is something everyone can do. I’ve broken them down into five steps. Let’s take a look at the first step, and that is to adopt a growth-oriented perspective. To do this, we reframe failures as learning opportunities instead of setbacks. We reframe failures as learning opportunities instead of setbacks. Shifting your self-talk from I can’t do this to I’m still learning changes the game entirely.
Adam Salgat: 3:31
I do really like this first one because it reminds us to stay positive and, as you know me, as you do, I love positivity. But I did say to myself I bet this is easier for some people than others. So let me ask you which DISC tendencies might thrive in this and which might struggle. Say to myself I bet this is easier for some people than others. So let me ask you which DISC tendencies might thrive in this and which might struggle.
Misty Janks: 3:50
That’s a great reflection back onto some of our skills that we learned in our community listens. And so if we think back to those primary behavioral tendencies of the D, the I, the S and the C and think about what drives them, so first for our D behavioral tendency friends, they thrive on personal challenges, so this one might come pretty easy for those behavioral tendencies. They like to always have that continuous improvement in front of them. And then from there, if we transition to our I behavioral tendency friends, from there, if we transition to our I behavioral tendency friends that really are those influencers and focus on people before task, if we can kind of frame that learning through, what can we learn together? How can this be an experience for us? They can really embrace this mindset.
Misty Janks: 4:39
And now, as we switch into our S and our C behavioral tendencies, this might be where some of the challenge comes in. But it is about a mindset shift. So our S and our steadiness behavioral tendency friends do like tradition and harmony. So maybe this might not be the place that they thrive, but they can. And it is just about what is that one single step right now in front of me that I can take to become a little bit better to improve that experience. And then, finally, with our C behavioral tendency, their need is for perfection. So this is where they can kind of get tripped up If they’re seeing this as a way I’m not perfect instead of a way that I can be perfect or better in the future. That minor shift in mindset can help them with this.
Adam Salgat: 5:31
I love those reminders of how certain behavioral tendencies it’s going to be more natural to do some of these things and other ones might be a mindset change. And so if you hear that, my S&C friends, you know, don’t take it personal. Do your best to adapt mistakes into a growing opportunity and give yourself grace. Okay, misty, let’s move on to number two and number three, which I think go hand in hand a little bit.
Misty Janks: 5:56
Yes. Number two is to seek and act on feedback. So, with this, don’t fear feedback. See it as a tool for growth. You need to actively ask peers, mentors or leaders to share their perspective and focus on how you can make small improvements. Number three is to develop a habit of curiosity. Start by asking good questions Instead of assuming you already know. Seek out different viewpoints, read daily no-transcript.
Adam Salgat: 6:30
So do you have an example of a time when either one of these mindsets is something that you’ve seen utilized?
Misty Janks: 6:37
Yes, I love both of these. But if we were to look at, to seek and act on feedback like we can easily think about this from an individual lens of how can I ask my leader, how can I ask my peer when I’ve done something new for the first time, of hey, after this experience, can you please provide me feedback? I would really appreciate it. But I also want to take this from a leader lens. The one thing that you can do as a leader is to ensure that you have embedded a continuous improvement process into everything that you do. So the model that we use is PDCA, which is plan, do, check, adjust. So at the close of any project, we ensure that we take time to evaluate what went right, but maybe what could we also improve on. So just ensuring that you’ve identified the framework that you’re going to use and where in the process do you embed that?
Adam Salgat: 7:34
So when you’re talking about looking at that feedback, then it’s really a great opportunity to make change, make things better, improve maybe a process that went well but could go even smoother.
Misty Janks: 7:45
Yes, I mean. We’re all doing many things for the very first time. So to think through that lens of how can I make this better, easier, quicker, more efficient in the future is a great thing to embed into all processes.
Adam Salgat: 8:02
All right, Misty, let’s move on to four and five.
Misty Janks: 8:05
All right, adam. Let’s look at number four, which is to take calculated risk. Growth really happens outside of our comfort zones, so it’s important for us to try new approaches, even if they feel uncertain, and to use setbacks as stepping stones for learning. And then number five is to commit to lifelong learning. This isn’t just a one and done effort. Make it a habit to set growth goals, invest in formal education, join professional development groups or engage in mentorship opportunities.
Adam Salgat: 8:37
If you don’t mind sharing with us some personal stories, because these two tips remind me of you a bit. I know you’re a lifelong learner and I know you’ve been working on a doctorate over the last year. Can you share a little bit about your experience in education?
Misty Janks: 8:50
Yes, I would love to. It was always my dream, after graduating with my bachelor’s, to go on and get my master’s. It felt a little bit out of reach for me, and that’s why I decided to go back in my 30s and get that degree. So in 2020, right in the heightened state of COVID I decided why not? Let’s take on an additional challenge and I went to get my master’s. And so with that, I got my master’s in industrial and organizational psychology, and I just really fell in love with the program and how it aligns to the work that we do here at the Chapman Foundation.
Misty Janks: 9:30
Now, that was a lot. And so afterwards I thought, oh no, I’m not going back. That is where that has been my dream and where I want to stay. But after taking a year off, I did decide to go back and get my doctorate, and so I’m happy to say that I’ve just wrapped up all of my coursework and I’m now I am moving on to the dissertation part of my work. So in just over a year, I will be graduating from that program.
Adam Salgat: 9:59
I don’t think I caught it in there. Did you state exactly like what your doctorate is for?
Misty Janks: 10:04
It will be a doctor of psychology in human and organizational behavior, with a focus in on organizational leadership.
Adam Salgat: 10:11
Well, thank you, misty, so much for setting such an example for us as an organization to know that lifelong learning. You know, no matter where we’re at in our stage of life, we can always learn something new and I commend you for the hard work that you’ve put in, because I know it’s a lot of extra well, I know it’s a lot of time outside of your work hours to do that.
Misty Janks: 10:30
And I think the one piece of advice that I was given really early on in my career that I would like to share with listeners is time is going to pass, no matter what. So what is the one step that you want to take? To continue to grow yourself, because you’ll never regret that investment.
Adam Salgat: 10:50
That’s a good point. It’s a good reminder. So let’s recap the five steps to develop a learner mindset as an individual, adopt a growth-oriented perspective, seek and act on feedback, develop a habit of curiosity, take calculated risks and commit to lifelong learning.
Misty Janks: 11:11
Thanks for recapping those, adam. The beauty is that each step builds on the last and small, consistent effort creates massive changes over time.
Adam Salgat: 11:21
So, as I mentioned there, that’s the helpful advice for individuals. But your blog doesn’t stop there. You also highlight how leaders and organizations can support these efforts by building what you call a culture of learning. Do you mind defining culture of learning for us?
Misty Janks: 11:40
Of course, a culture of learning is an organizational environment that has continuous development, curiosity and knowledge sharing. They are actively encouraged, supported and rewarded at all levels. It is driven by leadership behaviors that model learning, promote psychological safety and align learning with both individual growth and organizational goals.
Adam Salgat: 12:04
You mentioned in there model learning, and I know that is our first example that you’re going to bring up, so let’s jump right to number one. Yes, number one is to lead by example.
Misty Janks: 12:12
Let’s jump right to number one. Yes, number one is to lead by example. Leaders need to show that they are learners too, sharing their own learning journeys, admitting their mistakes and demonstrating and acknowledging their growth. It sets the tone for their team.
Adam Salgat: 12:27
This reminds me a lot of our statement from our community listens. I am the message that you have the opportunity there to really show who you are and set the example, like you made mention here. Set the example for everyone on your team.
Misty Janks: 12:42
Yes, it is important to always remember that we are the message and it is critical for us as leaders to adopt that into our leadership.
Misty Janks: 12:52
So, moving on to number two and number three, Number two is to encourage knowledge sharing, where we can create platforms for exchange, like team member workshops or mentorship programs, where we recognize and reward team members who contribute to the collective learning process. Number three is to integrate learning into daily work, where we embed learning into regular workflows, with short training sessions maybe lunch and learns for collaborative projects and coaching opportunities, providing access to e-learning platforms, books and other resources that might be available.
Adam Salgat: 13:29
When I reflect on those two statements, I think about the things that we have access to as employees for the Chapman Foundation, and you mentioned lunch and learns. That is something that we implement monthly. We also have the opportunity to utilize professional development dollars. Can you touch on that a little bit and why you find that’s important?
Misty Janks: 13:48
Yes, as leaders, we can say that this learner mindset is important, but if we don’t back that with organizational structures and resources, it’ll fall short for our team. So it’s important for us, as leaders, to designate dollars that can help support us and every single team member in their growth and development.
Adam Salgat: 14:11
All right, so moving forward, let’s move into number four and number five.
Misty Janks: 14:15
Yes. Number four is to provide psychological safety, and this is to foster an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas and even making mistakes. This openness lays the foundation for true innovation. Number five is to align learning with organizational goals, To make sure learning initiatives are tied to a clear objective that shows measurable impact. When people can see how their growth contributes to the bigger picture, it motivates them to keep pushing forward.
Adam Salgat: 14:49
I’m definitely that type of personality that knows when my work is contributing to a bigger picture. I have that extra oomph, that motivation to meet more deadlines and to produce more content. So I actually would love to expand a little bit on number five. So, align learning with organizational goals. Can you continue to talk about that a little bit? But I’m going to set you up with a couple of questions, because that must take some intentional time and planning from leadership to do that. Why is it worth it and what can happen if you don’t take that time?
Misty Janks: 15:23
So the truth is, adam, that organizations don’t grow. The people inside of it do so. With this, what we’re doing is we’re taking that intentional time to map where do we want to take the organization this year maybe, or the next three years? And once you have that vision and picture, then you can take time to step back and reflect and assess what skills and abilities do I have on my team and what might I be missing to get us there? And then, who are we growing in those areas to ensure that we have the knowledge, the skills and the abilities on our team to hit those goals? So it is a critical step as leaders to be intentional with this planning and reflection, and not only then does it help our organization, but it helps our team members have that meaningful work, to know that their growth does matter to the organization and where we’re going in the future.
Adam Salgat: 16:25
Can you touch on how that is different from, maybe, traditional practices?
Misty Janks: 16:29
Yes, what I have seen in the past is a heavy focus just on the organization when do we want to be, how do we want to grow but we don’t take the time to consider the people, that human element that really is the motor to what we do. So taking it that step further is what really ignites the potential of people.
Adam Salgat: 16:58
That’s awesome, and that’s the same kind of sentiment that I’ve heard Mr Chapman explain over the years of how he has seen his businesses grow, when he started to focus around the people and not so much the product but, truthfully, that the product is the people that he’s working with.
Misty Janks: 17:12
Exactly. You have to have a very strong business plan, but it’s how you ignite people inside of it that really unlocks the true potential.
Adam Salgat: 17:22
Misty, thank you so much for taking us through those five steps. Let’s do a quick recap of building a culture of learning. So, tip number one lead by example. Number two encourage knowledge sharing. Number three integrate learning into daily work. Four provide psychological safety. And five align learning with organizational goals. Misty, what would you say to leaders who might still see formal learning as a nice to have rather than a key driver of performance?
Misty Janks: 17:58
In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing environment, standing still is the fastest way to fall behind. Formal learning is not just a benefit, it’s a strategic imperative. Organizations that thrive are those that intentionally invest in growing their people. Why? Because team member development is directly tied to performance, innovation, retention and long-term sustainability. Learning is not a break from work. It is the work. When you create spaces for structured, high-quality learning experiences, you are equipping your team to solve problems faster, adapt more quickly, collaborate more effectively and lead more confidently. You are building a resilient organization capable of navigating complexity with agility. If performance matters and I know it does then learning must matter too. It is no longer a luxury. It is the engine that powers progress.
Adam Salgat: 18:59
Really love that statement. Thank you so much, man. We have covered a lot today, and I’m thankful for having you here, From developing a learner mindset to creating cultures that thrive on growth. If you could leave our listeners with a single key takeaway, what would it be?
Misty Janks: 19:15
Growth is contagious. When you choose to learn and adapt, you give others permission to do the same. As a leader, your mindset sets the tone. Every time you seek feedback, try something new or engage in learning, you model what it means to grow with purpose. Change does not require a massive overhaul. It starts with one intentional step. So ask yourself what is the one action you can take from today to model a learner mindset. Read a new perspective, ask a team member what they’re learning, share a recent mistake and what it taught you, Because when you lead with learning, you create a ripple effect, and those ripples can transform a culture.
Adam Salgat: 19:56
Listeners, I’m going to give you a level up opportunity here and I’m going to challenge you for level up opportunity here and I’m going to challenge you for the next week. Identify one step from today’s conversation, whether it’s asking for feedback, fostering curiosity, taking a risk. Put it into action and see what happens. Misty, if we have a listener out there who wants to know more, wants to connect with us, what’s the best way for them to do that?
Misty Janks: 20:18
The first step I would say is to go visit our website and visit that partner page. We have a lot of great options out there how you can engage with us and that partner page gives you that overview. I will say, if you are interested and want to take like that big next step, we have our Caring Workplace program and one of the five pillars of a Caring Workplace is a culture of learning. So we can be your guide to help you integrate that into what you’re already doing.
Adam Salgat: 20:50
That is such a great way and a great reminder, and I know I’ve heard from our Caring Workplace partners that they are very excited at how we are able to walk along with them. As you just stated, come in and work with you on what you’re already doing, right.
Misty Janks: 21:05
Yes, a lot of organizations can’t afford to have an organizational psychologist on staff. So working with us, you get the benefit of all of the knowledge that our team has to be able to help you, and it’s that true partnership for growth.
Adam Salgat: 21:22
Misty, I’d like to thank you so much for being on today’s audio cast.
Misty Janks: 21:26
Thank you so much for having me today, Adam.
Adam Salgat: 21:29
Thank you everyone for tuning in to Beyond the Class. If our discussion resonated with you, share it with a colleague or a friend. Ask them to remember to subscribe. And until next time, I’m Adam Sluggett, inviting you to walk your path with intention, because you are the message. Take care, my friends.
