Gallup’s list of Most Admired People is populated with people who have changed, repented, evolved, and grown—not people who got it all right the first time. Saul the Christian persecutor changed his ways and became Paul the Christian apostle—and wrote half of the New Testament. I could go on.

We live in an era full of social pressure to appear perfect all the time, to never admit fault or weakness or else risk losing that promotion, that election, those followers, etc. 

It’s an era where changing your mind or admitting you were wrong is fuel for your enemies—even when it was the right thing to do—and where blaming Others is the go-to strategy for dealing with setbacks. 

And even without social pressure, changing our minds about things we’ve made our minds up about is  psychologically painful. As humans, we tend to avoid the pain that comes with unlearning.

But the people who make the most positive difference in the world are not like this. They are the ones who are able to discern when they need to change and then be brave enough to do so even when the cost is high. 

These kinds of people make amazing teammates because they are able to consider people and ideas that others won’t. 

They make amazing leaders, because they are able to choose the right thing to do over the easy thing to do. 

They make amazing citizens, because they don’t stop learning and thinking as the world around them changes.

Scientists have a term for people like this: Intellectually Humble. 

Unlike general humility — which is defined by traits like sincerity, honesty, and unselfishness — intellectual humility has to do with understanding the limits of one’s knowledge. It’s a state of openness to new ideas, a willingness to be receptive to new sources of evidence, and it comes with significant benefits:

People with intellectual humility are both better learners and better able to engage in civil discourse. Google’s VP in charge of hiring, Laszlo Bock, has claimed it as one of the top qualities he looks for in a candidate: Without intellectual humility, he has said, “you are unable to learn.”

Intellectual humility is one of the key traits that Google looks in new hires. Wise leaders know that solving problems is a team effort — everyone brings something different to the table.

Research on inclusive leadership found that when people observe selfless behavior in their leaders, they were more likely to feel included in the teams.

Wise leaders don’t pretend to have all the answers — they lead with questions rather than with solutions. Their job is to get the best ideas from their teams. That requires putting their ego aside rather and letting go of the need to be always right.

Findings from one study revealed that humble CEOs create a positive influence around them: their teams are more collaborative, transparent, and eager to learn.