Rethinking: Why Every Leader Should Ask Themselves Daily What Their Employees Have Learned from Them

„Leadership is not about control – it’s about cultivating growth.“

The Rethinking Impulse as a RethinkAudio – Listen. Reflect. Analyze. Advance.

Misconceptions, Misinterpretations, and Toxic Mindsets Surrounding Leadership and Learning

The prevailing notion that leadership is primarily about delegating tasks, enforcing objectives, and monitoring work processes is deeply ingrained in many corporate cultures. Countless executives perceive themselves as organisers, as the structural backbone of an enterprise, whose principal duty is to optimise processes and maximise outcomes. Within this perspective, learning is often relegated to a secondary function – at best, confined to technical knowledge acquisition or industry-specific expertise.

A particularly toxic mindset stems from the belief that employees are solely responsible for their own development. This stance absolves leaders of their pivotal role as facilitators of growth, catalysts of insight, and enablers of potential. Another widespread fallacy is the assumption that learning only occurs in formal settings – through training sessions, seminars, or professional development courses. However, the most impactful learning is informal: it transpires in daily interactions, through observation, reflection, and dialogue.

Leaders frequently resist the idea of positioning themselves as learning conduits, often due to an underlying fear of vulnerability. The notion that authority and omniscience are inherently intertwined fosters an illusion of infallibility that obstructs the cultivation of a learning culture. The gravest misconception, however, is that leadership and learning exist in separate realms. A leader who believes their primary function is to set targets and demand results overlooks a fundamental truth: leadership is, at its core, about shaping experiences that foster growth. A true leader is not merely a decision-maker but also a mentor, an architect of intellectual space, and a steward of continuous learning.

What Does It Mean for Employees to Learn from Their Leader Every Day?

The question, “What have my employees learned from me today?” is far more than a rhetorical exercise – it signifies a paradigm shift in the very nature of leadership. Leadership in this context extends beyond merely managing a team; it involves inspiring, developing, and consistently providing new intellectual stimuli. Learning in this sense does not stem from rigid instruction but from embodied interaction – through role modelling, thought-provoking questions, encouraging diverse perspectives, and cultivating an environment where experimentation and error are recognised as integral to progress.

A team leader who fully comprehends this dimension of leadership does not merely pose the question of learning as a reflective afterthought; rather, they shape every encounter with their employees to facilitate intellectual expansion. This does not imply a daily lesson in the conventional sense but rather a leadership approach that stimulates cognitive engagement, fosters critical thinking, and empowers individuals to refine their own mental models.

The Philosophical Perspective: Leadership as a School of Wisdom

Philosophically, leadership is inextricably linked to the broader concept of human development. Since antiquity, the mentor-disciple relationship has been considered the archetype of meaningful guidance. The idea that a leader’s role is not solely to oversee tasks but to cultivate individuals into more discerning, responsible, and self-assured professionals echoes the Socratic method of inquiry – where wisdom is not dictated but jointly discovered through dialogue.

One of the most profound challenges in contemporary leadership is the widespread inclination to perceive leadership primarily as a functional role – one focused on efficiency, process execution, and performance evaluation. However, this outcome-driven mentality obscures the deeper potential of leadership: the ability to create an environment where learning is an ever-present, dynamic force. The philosophy of leadership demands a rethinking of its very essence – from a model where leaders provide answers to one in which they instigate the pursuit of new perspectives.

The Psychological Dimension: Why Learning Requires Trust

From a psychological standpoint, learning thrives on trust and psychological safety. Employees who fear repercussions for mistakes, or who experience workplace environments steeped in rigidity and control, are unlikely to develop the cognitive flexibility required for growth. Leaders who wish to embed learning into their organisational culture must first establish a foundation of security, in which curiosity is encouraged, experimentation is supported, and constructive failure is acknowledged as a stepping stone to competence.

Learning is also deeply entwined with the process of challenging mental models – both one’s own and those of others. A manager who understands this dynamic will not simply impart knowledge but will instead cultivate an atmosphere of intellectual stimulation, where individuals are motivated to question assumptions, deconstruct habitual thought patterns, and refine their understanding of the world.

The Occupational Psychology Perspective: Learning as a Catalyst for Performance

From the standpoint of occupational psychology, continuous learning is directly correlated with motivation, engagement, and productivity. Employees who perceive their work as a conduit for personal and professional growth demonstrate higher levels of commitment, creativity, and resilience in the face of challenges.

A workplace culture that prioritises learning fosters an environment in which individuals are not merely task executors but active contributors to a shared intellectual ecosystem. Leaders who intentionally pose thought-provoking questions, encourage reflection, and facilitate structured knowledge-sharing are not only enhancing the capabilities of their employees but are also strengthening the collective intelligence of their teams.

The Health Psychology Perspective: Why Learning is Essential for Mental Well-being

Learning is not merely an intellectual pursuit; it is a fundamental component of psychological well-being. Individuals who regularly acquire new insights experience an enhanced sense of self-efficacy – a core determinant of mental resilience.

Leaders who cultivate a culture of learning are thus not only expanding the skill sets of their teams but are also fostering psychological stability and overall well-being. A workplace in which development is prioritised nurtures a profound sense of belonging, minimises stress-induced anxiety, and transforms daily work from a series of obligations into a space for personal enrichment.

Rethinking Leadership with the R2A Formula: How Leaders Can Integrate Learning into Their Daily Practice

Reflect: Engage in daily self-inquiry—what cognitive shifts have I facilitated within my team today? Have I posed questions that sparked curiosity and deeper thought? Have I created an environment conducive to intellectual expansion?
Analyze: Identify patterns in learning experiences—where did insight emerge organically? In which instances did team members demonstrate growth? Which situations could have been further enriched with greater space for reflection and exploration?
Advance: Actively implement strategies to embed learning within the fabric of leadership. This may include fostering collaborative discussions, refining the art of constructive feedback, and encouraging critical thinking as a habitual practice.

Key Learning: Leadership is a Journey of Perpetual Learning

A leader who asks themselves daily what their employees have learned is embracing a transformative paradigm – one that acknowledges leadership as an evolving, interactive, and profoundly human endeavour. In an era of relentless change, a leader’s value is not measured by their ability to command but by their capacity to illuminate, inspire, and elevate. The essence of true leadership is not found in the mere execution of directives but in the enduring legacy of intellectual and personal growth. Each day presents a new opportunity to embody this ideal – to cultivate a culture where learning is not incidental but intrinsic to the very fabric of leadership itself.