Ever-Learning: Being a Better Leader Tomorrow Than Today | Ep. 66 | The Science of Leadership

In this episode of The Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins is joined by retired Lieutenant General Scott Dingle, the 45th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, to explore the vital concept of the "Ever Learner"—a leader committed to continuous growth and adaptability.

General Dingle defines the Ever Learner as someone with the mindset and practice of continuously seeking knowledge, skills, and experience without stop. Both he and Tom emphasize that leadership is a journey, not a destination. General Dingle shares two powerful stories from his career—starting as a "Butterball" Second Lieutenant to serving as a Three-Star General—that illustrate the continuous need to adapt to chaos, crisis, and unexpected turns.

The hosts emphasize that settling for "good enough" allows adversaries (whether a competitor, a disease, or Ivan Drago) to win because they "aren't taking a day off." Leaders who stop evolving become extinct.

Key Takeaways for Becoming an Ever Learner:

• Adopt a Growth Mindset: Reframe "I don't know it" as "I don't know that yet," seeing challenges as opportunities to improve.
• Seek Feedback: Actively ask peers and those you lead for candid input, and receive it graciously.
• Reflect Regularly: Follow the example of leaders who review their experiences daily to extract lessons and become better tomorrow.
• Practice Humility: Acknowledge what you don't know and surround yourself with mentors and diverse voices to combat narrow perspective.

The scientific data supports this: leaders who model curiosity and learning foster psychological safety, resilience, performance, and organizational creativity throughout their teams.

Also, I want to remind listeners about the release of my book, "The Four Stars of Leadership," a culmination of over three years of dedicated work, and I'm confident it will be an immensely interesting and helpful guide on your journey to becoming a better leader. Don't miss out on this essential resource—order your copy today at Amazon or Barnes & Nobles and share your thoughts with me!

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To learn more about the Science of Leadership, visit https://www.fourstarleaders.com/

Key References

• Barba Aragón MI, Jiménez Jiménez D, Sanz Valle R. Training and performance: The mediating role of organizational learning. Business Research Quarterly. 2014;17(3):161–173.
• Crans S., Bude V., Beausaert S., Segers M. (2021). Social informal learning and the role of learning climate: toward a better understanding of the social side of learning among consultants. Resour. Dev. Q.32 507–535.
• Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
• Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383.
• Gong, Y., Huang, J. C., & Farh, J. L. (2009). Employee learning orientation, transformational leadership, and employee creativity: The mediating role of employee creative self-efficacy. Academy of Management Journal, 52(4), 765–778.
• Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Harvard Business Press.