Practicing Intellectual Humility.

I recently had the privilege of spending two days in the company of some of the brightest minds and most successful global marketers at a marketing leadership summit organized by Kellogg School of Management, Egon Zehnder, The Jim Stengel Company, and McKinsey. The event occurred at Northwestern University and featured influential leaders from major brands such as Kimberly-Clark, Walgreens, Kohler, Dick's Sporting Goods, Dallas Mavericks, Tractor Supply, and many others. What struck me most was the atmosphere of intense intellectual curiosity and the eagerness to learn that permeated the room, regardless of the attendees' experience or accomplishments.

As Alison Lewis , Chief Growth Officer of Kimberly-Clark, aptly put it, intellectual humility was the common thread that bound everyone at the summit. This concept resonated with me, as it reminded me of the importance of continuous learning and the realization that no matter how successful we become or the accolades we achieve, there is always more to learn and new perspectives to explore.

Intellectual humility is the acceptance of one's limitations in knowledge and understanding while remaining open to new ideas, methods, and perspectives. It is a quality that can manifest differently depending on one's career stage or mastery of a particular field. For seasoned professionals who have spent decades honing their craft, intellectual humility requires adopting a growth mindset and embracing the role of the eternal beginner. It means being open to learning, asking insightful questions, challenging assumptions, and unlearning outdated practices.

This mindset was evident among the attendees, who actively participated in the discussions and took copious notes throughout the summit. However, embracing intellectual humility in a boardroom setting or when conversing with a junior staff member can be more challenging. It requires letting go of preconceived notions and being receptive to new ideas.

For those beginning their careers, intellectual humility entails not overestimating one's knowledge or abilities while recognizing the need for continuous learning. This can be a delicate balance, as young professionals might fear appearing weak or ignorant by admitting gaps in their knowledge. However, demonstrating intellectual humility early in one's career can pave the way for a lifetime of learning and growth.

To put it differently, intellectual humility is akin to being a "student of the game," a concept embodied by renowned athletes like NHL player Patrick Kane. Despite his legendary status, Kane is known for his passion for learning and willingness to study others to improve his game. He epitomizes the importance of intellectual humility and the power of curiosity, even at the pinnacle of success.

Below are some ways to practice the art of intellectual humility on a daily basis, some of which we've discussed in SOTG, before -

1. Read voraciously: Read books, articles, and blogs from diverse fields and genres. Sometimes I will go to Barnes & Noble and buy books from areas I have no interest in or experience to broaden my aperture. Sometimes I make it through the entire book, and at others, I may get half-way. In both cases, it opens my mind to new ideas and thoughts.
2. Ask open-ended questions: Develop the habit of asking questions that encourage exploration rather than seeking simple or definitive answers. This is something that can be done starting now. In your next meeting, you can just ask open-ended questions without answering any. This is a cool exercise as you're learning along the way and emitting curiosity.
3. Seek out new experiences: Step outside your comfort zone by attending events, workshops, or lectures on unfamiliar topics. There have been times when I was scheduled to be at an event and felt remarkably out of my comfort zone and didn't want to attend. Every time I am happy that I did. I learned something new, met new and exciting people and at times, expanded my scope of opportunity.
4. Embrace challenges: Another insight Alison Lewis offered was to take on assignments nobody else wants. This will help progress your career and expand your palette of capabilities and success stories. I decided recently to join a smaller, more entrepreneurial company than move back into the warm embrace of a bigger, more resourced organization. Both with pro's/cons and their own set of challenges.
5. Reflecting: Regularly assess your thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions, and be open to modifying them based on new information and experiences. For me, this is staying present in the moment and feeling my sense of "knowing" creep up and create the muscle memory to challenge it.
6. Reverse Mentoring: Finding people in your life that can teach you about what is modern, cool and contemporary. Especially in marketing, finding younger generations to keep you apprised of the latest trends.
7. Learning from mistakes: These days, I have leaned more into sharing mistakes and risks I've taken with my teams. Sure, we can repeat the formula for our successes, but having made mistakes over a career and not making them a second time or guiding your teams around them is as essential.
8. Engage in hobbies and interests outside your primary field: Pursue creative outlets, sports, or other activities that differ from your main area of expertise. Serve on boards in industries where your skills are transferable, but you may not have a field of expertise.