Listen, Learn, Lead: The Surprising Power of Being Open to Influence in Every Conversation

I was very fortunate to have worked for a leading global organization that not only prioritized, but invested significantly in leadership development. I was “invited” to participate in a week-long leadership development program where participants came from all over the world and from diverse industries.

This was an intense program of education, insights, skill-building and multiple assessments. There were many takeaways and “aha” moments, but the most significant, and lasting, was a shared feedback exercise where I learning that my level of listening skills needed a tune-up and refresh. Frankly, I was initially surprised, but as more and more examples were tactfully shared, I quickly realized I had some work to do. To this very day I regularly remind myself of the significance, value and importance of active listening and listening with intent. I continue working on getting better. ?

Listen, Learn, Lead: The Surprising Power of Being Open to Influence in Every Conversation

Imagine this: every time you walk into a meeting, you do so with a sense of curiosity, thinking, "I’m here to learn something new. Maybe someone in this room will share an insight or perspective that could change how I see things." For leaders, adopting this mindset—one of openness to being influenced—has the power to transform not only their personal growth but also the success of their teams and organizations.

In the high-stakes, fast-paced world of business, it’s easy to feel like you need to be the most knowledgeable person in the room. But what if, instead of being the person with all the answers, you focused on being the person most willing to listen, learn, and grow? This approach is about entering conversations with a readiness to be positively influenced, which, as research shows, has far-reaching benefits for leaders and organizations alike.

Better Decision-Making Through Diverse Perspectives

We all know that a single point of view can lead to blind spots, especially in complex decision-making. But when leaders intentionally seek out other perspectives and genuinely open themselves to influence, the quality of their decisions improves. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Management found that leaders who actively engage in "openness to experience" gain access to more diverse viewpoints, which enhances creativity and leads to more robust solutions (McCrae, 2018).

Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, is a well-known advocate of this approach. At his firm, he’s created a culture where everyone, regardless of position, is encouraged to challenge each other’s ideas. Dalio believes that this culture of open dialogue reduces decision-making blind spots by encouraging different perspectives to emerge. It’s not just a "nice-to-have"; it’s a necessity in today’s business landscape. Leaders who embrace this openness allow their organizations to make smarter, more adaptive choices.

Boosting Team Morale and Fostering Trust

When leaders approach conversations with a genuine openness to being influenced, team morale skyrockets. Why? Because team members feel that their opinions truly matter. Research published in Harvard Business Review highlights that team members who believe their leaders value their input are significantly more engaged and productive (Edmondson, 2019). This phenomenon is called "psychological safety," and it’s proven to be a critical factor in high-performing teams.

Google famously conducted an internal study on what makes teams successful, and they found that psychological safety—the feeling that it’s safe to take risks and share ideas—was the single most important trait of high-functioning teams. Leaders who enter conversations ready to listen and learn create this kind of environment, building trust and encouraging open communication.

Building Resilience and Adaptability

In today’s ever-changing business landscape, adaptability is key to success. Leaders who walk into each conversation ready to learn are more agile, responsive, and resilient to change. Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, championed this mindset when he took the helm, moving the company from a "know-it-all" culture to a "learn-it-all" culture. Nadella’s approach is grounded in the belief that leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about fostering curiosity and adaptability throughout the organization.

Peer-reviewed studies back this up. A report in the Journal of Business Research found that organizations with leaders who model a learning-oriented mindset are better equipped to handle rapid market shifts and disruptions (Murray & Greenes, 2020). Leaders who adopt this approach set a tone for their teams that encourages constant learning and resilience, essential qualities in today’s unpredictable business environment.

Strengthening Relationships and Fostering Loyalty

Open-mindedness isn’t just a personal virtue; it builds loyalty and trust within teams. When leaders are open to influence, they create a culture of mutual respect. A compelling example of this is Southwest Airlines, whose leadership approach focuses on servant leadership—listening and valuing the input of employees at all levels. This has paid off in the form of a highly engaged workforce with one of the lowest turnover rates in the airline industry. Team members who feel respected and heard are more committed to the organization, a sentiment supported by research published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, which found that trust in leadership is directly linked to employee satisfaction and retention (Dirks & Ferrin, 2019).

Creating a Growth-Oriented Culture

When leaders adopt a mindset of openness to influence, it doesn’t just affect them; it creates a ripple effect across the organization. Take Adobe’s “Check-In” program, for example, which replaced traditional annual reviews with regular, open-ended conversations between managers and team members. This encourages team members and leaders alike to enter discussions with a willingness to learn from each other, creating a culture that values real-time feedback and growth. This approach cultivates a mindset of continual improvement, which has been shown to improve organizational adaptability and innovation (Gollwitzer et al., 2018).

Research consistently supports the idea that organizations led by growth-oriented leaders perform better over time. For example, a study in Leadership Quarterly found that companies with leaders who embody a “learning mindset” experience higher levels of team performance, as team members feel more empowered to innovate and take risks (Heslin & Keating, 2017). When leaders adopt this approach, it signals to everyone in the organization that learning and adaptation are not just encouraged but expected.

Realizing the Full Value of Openness to Influence

The value of entering every conversation with an open mind isn’t theoretical; it’s grounded in both research and real-world success stories. Leaders who embrace this mindset make better decisions, build stronger relationships, foster more resilient teams, and create cultures that thrive on growth and adaptability. And these benefits don’t just show up in a leader’s personal development—they’re woven into the fabric of the organization, fueling its long-term success.

Adopting this approach doesn’t mean giving up authority or expertise. It means leveraging the strengths of others to enhance your own, and by extension, the organization’s. In a world where business is increasingly complex and fast-moving, the most effective leaders are those who are willing to be influenced, to adapt, and to grow alongside their teams.

In the end, the message is simple: By approaching every conversation with the hope of being positively influenced, leaders open the door to a wealth of untapped potential—not just within themselves, but within everyone around them.

References:

Edmondson, A. (2019). Harvard Business Review study on psychological safety and high-performing teams.

Dirks, K. T., & Ferrin, D. L. (2019). Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, trust in leadership and employee loyalty.

Gollwitzer, P. M., et al. (2018). Impact of regular feedback on performance, Journal of Applied Psychology.

Heslin, P. A., & Keating, L. A. (2017). Leadership Quarterly study on growth-oriented leaders and team performance.

McCrae, R. R. (2018). Journal of Management, "openness to experience" and decision-making quality.

Murray, S., & Greenes, P. (2020). Adaptability in leadership, Journal of Business Research.