As leaders, we’re wired to learn. We gather knowledge, develop skills, and refine strategies. But here’s the catch: what helped us succeed in the past won’t always carry us into the future. Sometimes, the bravest move isn’t doubling down, it’s letting go. 

Unlearning is the discipline of stepping back, questioning old assumptions, and being willing to rethink what we “know for sure.” Adam Grant calls this the power of rethinking in Think Again, and it’s what separates leaders who stay relevant from those who get stuck.

Why Unlearning Matters

We all fall into patterns: habits that once worked, beliefs that feel safe, or strategies we’ve used before. Over time, they become our default mode. But defaults can quietly limit us.

Research shows that we are prone to confirmation bias. We seek out information that validates our views and avoid what challenges them. In leadership, that can close us off to new solutions, new voices, and new growth.

Unlearning doesn’t mean erasing the past, but it does mean loosening our grip on outdated habits so we can make space for what’s next.

Three Areas Worth Rethinking

Beliefs → Holding convictions loosely keeps us open to fresh perspectives and resilient in change.

Habits → Some routines energize us. Others weigh us down. Strong leaders take stock and adjust.

Strategies → Yesterday’s wins don’t guarantee tomorrow’s success. Updating our playbook keeps us ahead.

When we unlearn what no longer serves, we free ourselves to adapt, innovate, and lead forward.

Want to Practice Unlearning?

→ Challenge Your Beliefs - Conviction is valuable, but our minds don’t always work to our advantage. Emotions can push us toward irrational reactions, and unconscious biases can quietly derail us. Allowing others to question your thinking helps you see what you can’t on your own.

Put it into practice: Invite a colleague who sees things differently to share what they notice about your approach. Give them permission to poke holes in your thinking.

→ Rethink Your Habits - Habits that served you in one season may not carry you into the next. Working longer hours may have fueled you in your 20s or 30s, but you may not have the stamina or bandwidth as life grows busier. The shift comes from learning to work smarter, not just harder.

Put it into practice: List three routines that shape your week. Keep the ones that energize you, and swap out one that doesn’t.

→ Evolve Your Strategies - The tools that once propelled you forward won’t always be enough at the next level. Life and leadership demands shift, and so must you.

Put it into practice: Think about one “tried and true” strategy you’ve leaned on for years. If you were starting fresh today, would you choose it again?

Letting Go to Lead Well

The leaders who thrive aren’t the ones with all the answers. They’re the ones willing to let go, rethink, and grow.

Unlearning requires humility, the courage to admit that yesterday’s success formula may not serve tomorrow’s challenges. It requires curiosity, the openness to step outside of echo chambers and hear fresh perspectives. And it requires discipline, the practice of regularly questioning what we’ve outgrown so we can keep evolving.

So this week, ask yourself: What’s one belief, habit, or strategy I can release to make space for what’s next?

Learning builds us up, yes. But it’s unlearning, the conscious act of letting go, that results in transformation.

I'm rooting for you!

CURATED PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES

for the leader who wants to dig a little deeper

The Leadership Competency Few Talk About: Unlearning What No Longer Serves You

 

A Conversation on Unlearning, from the Conversations on Conversations podcast

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn."

Alvin Toffler