Did you know building intellectual humility can make you smarter? Indeed, a recent research project showed that intellectual humility can enhance decision-making, foster teamwork and drive innovation.
These results aren’t just interesting – they can be used to improve your own leadership skills and to unlock the potential of your team.

So what exactly is intellectual humility? Simply put, it’s the degree to which you admit that your own perspective may be incomplete or even totally wrong. Intellectually humble people are open to learning. They’re willing to explore the limits of their own beliefs. And they listen to what others say.  So it’s not surprising that the researchers found that more humility makes you a better leader. Imagine how powerful intellectual humility could be in a team meeting or during crucial project planning sessions. Let alone during difficult conversations.

But how did researchers explore the significance of intellectual humility? They developed scenarios – which they applied in mock organisational settings –  to test how open participants were to considering evidence that challenged their beliefs. As these scenarios played out, participants’ intellectual humility levels were assessed using surveys, role-playing exercises and observational assessments. Consistently, it was found that the participants who scored higher on intellectual humility scales were better at recognising and rectifying their mistakes, more receptive to feedback and performed better in group tasks. Imagine being a leader who showed those qualities!So, it might be time to upgrade your intellectual humility.  Recognise that you don’t have all the answers yet.  And that changing your mind is NOT a sign of weakness, it is a form of flexibility. Encourage open-mindedness and curiosity among your team members and create a culture where it’s okay to admit to being wrong. By doing so, not only will you foster a more positive work environment, but you’ll also be able to make better decisions and achieve greater success as a team.

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This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference.