Winnipeg Free Press
By: Barbara Bowes
Opinion
New day. New challenge. Welcome to the global pandemic.
After a year of managing unexpected changes, COVID-19 has taught us the value of open-minded leadership.
It’s a skill that is frequently overlooked and rarely included in leadership training.
Is open-mindedness simply the ability to accept new ideas with ease? Is it all about flexibility and accepting people with different ideas?
The Cambridge Dictionary says open-mindedness is defined as one’s willingness to consider ideas and opinions that are new or different to their own. In other words, the ability to consider a wide variety of alternatives before a firm decision is made. An open-minded person is therefore more receptive to different possibilities and is usually less prejudiced, biased, and/or less rigid or stubborn.