Remain open to, contribute to, and build upon new ideas. No matter what is said, keep open to the one-percent possibility that all ideas have value and that you can learn from them. Suspend judgment, seeking first to understand the message of the other person. Learning is not confined to childhood or to school but takes place throughout life and in a range of situations. Being open to the one-percent possibility of learning from everyone enhances social inclusion, active participation, and professional development. Effective leaders constantly seek to learn new things and encounter alternative beliefs, cultures, and values. When leaders stop doing this, their personal development stops too.

Embrace every opportunity you have to learn from others. This doesn’t mean agreeing with them on everything. We can learn from many people with whom we have nothing in common. Learning from others helps us grow emotionally, keeps us from making mistakes, and can often help with our own decision making. The beauty of wanting to learn from others is that you will remain open and willing to listen, which, in return, will draw others toward you. This will also open many new doors and experiences. Not only that, you’ll find that maintaining a proper attitude for learning will also make you an effective teacher. As well as learning from the experiences of others, you may also be in great demand by people who want to learn from you.

Seven leadership rules that help organizations rise to new peaks of performance are featured in my latest book, Energized Enterprise.