The Disabled Workforce
Why HR Practitioners Can’t Be Afraid to Fail
By Rachel Shaw, Principal Consultant, Founder, Shaw HR Consulting
@Work Magazine, April 2025
Do you believe you can accomplish anything? The answer, according to Carol Dweck, a world-renowned psychologist at Stanford University, is highly influenced by your mindset. Her theory is that there are two types of mindsets — a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.1 Those who have a “fixed mindset” believe that intelligence, talent, and abilities are innate, and these traits cannot be altered significantly. Conversely, those with a growth mindset believe that intelligence and other abilities can improve with effort.
Some say there are two types of mindsets—the fixed mindset and the growth mindset—read on to learn which one is better for professionals in disability and absence management.
Some say entrepreneurs need a growth mindset2 so they can find solutions to any challenge, no matter how nuanced or time-sensitive it is. The same can be said of disability and absence managers. This type of mindset is key to managing the interactive process in accordance with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). And means you will benefit from leaning into your growth mindset or developing one if it is not your natural inclination.
Dweck’s research shows that when students who fail are told that they can get to the right place with work, they ultimately excel. In fact, most of these students outscored and outperformed their peers, many of whom had higher natural IQs or more privileged backgrounds.
The equalizer for underprivileged students who participated in the study was having a growth mindset.
Why it Matters
Those with a growth mindset approach an ADA interactive process with the mentality that mistakes, missteps, and challenges are opportunities for growth.
While some situations may be daunting, professionals with a growth mindset do not stray from their course to push forward. And when missteps occur, they focus on learning and know that the next time they will do better; that their practical learning will improve the organization’s program.
Some of the best types of education within the human resources (HR) realm comes from experience. Employees in your organization benefit from all types of education and learning, and that includes missteps.
All disability compliance practitioners are imperfect, and we are all learning and improving along the way. With an increasing number of accommodation requests and an expansion in the breadth and depth of requests when managing the ADA interactive process, practitioners must dive in and work through each request.
Nurturing and developing a growth mindset will help you become a happier, healthier, and a more successful disability compliance professional. It starts with believing in who you are and what you are capable of doing and achieving. It is about believing you will build a better ADA interactive process in your organization and that you will find the right answers as you implement this process for employees.
Believing you will do the hard things, even if you have never done them before, breeds confidence and it leads to action. You will have setbacks. You will grow. And ultimately you will succeed. This work is difficult, and the disabled workforce deserves professionals who are willing to invest in developing a growth mindset.
References
- Dweck, Carol. Mindset – Updated Edition: Changing The Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential. Little Brown. Retrieved from https://www.littlebrown.co.uk/titles/carol-dweck/mindset-updated-edition/9781472139955/
- Harvard Business School. Business Insights. Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset: What’s the Difference? Retrieved from https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/growth-mindset-vs-fixed-mindset
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