The Ageless Mindset: Neoteny as a Secret to Sustainable Leadership
In a world where careers shift, identities evolve, and reinvention is constant, one trait is emerging as a quiet superpower - not only in leadership, but across life’s many roles. That trait is “neoteny”: the retention of youthful qualities such as curiosity, playfulness, and adaptability into adulthood [Neoteny – The secret of being a lifelong leader].
More than two decades ago, in their landmark study “Geeks and Geezers”, Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas uncovered a striking pattern: the most exceptional and enduring leaders - some well into their 70s and 80s - all shared one common trait: neoteny. It wasn’t about age. It was about mindset.
Today, neoteny may be more essential than ever. In a relentlessly changing world, lasting success depends less on static expertise than on the ability to unlearn, relearn, and see the world with fresh eyes - again and again. Neoteny isn’t immaturity; it’s agility. It’s a lifelong readiness to adapt, not just professionally, but also personally.
What is neoteny — and why does it matter more than ever?
Originally a term from biology, neoteny describes the retention of juvenile features into adulthood. In leadership, it means much more than appearance. It’s the preservation of youthfulness in outlook and spirit: curiosity, openness, emotional flexibility, and creative risk-taking.
In Geeks and Geezers, Bennis and Thomas observed that the most vital older leaders were those who remained mentally elastic. They retained the traits often lost with age — wonder, energy, courage, eagerness to explore. “Neoteny,” Bennis wrote, “is a metaphor for the quality — and the gift — that keeps the fortunate of whatever age focused on all marvelous undiscovered things to come.”
Why neoteny is the trait today’s world rewards
Psychologist Bruce Charlton coined the term psychological neoteny to describe the value of prolonged youthfulness in modern society. Unlike past eras where maturity meant settling into rigid roles, today’s world is fluid. Careers shift. Geographies change. Identities evolve. And those who retain mental plasticity are better equipped to thrive.
Charlton argued that the qualities once seen as immature — openness, emotional experimentation, adaptability — have become survival tools in a tumultuous age. In a landscape shaped by AI disruption, lifelong learning, and continuous reinvention, neoteny is less an eccentricity and more a competitive edge.
From a neuroscience perspective, we’re built for it. As Thomas Armstrong notes, humans are biologically neotenous. We’re born with brains that finish developing post-birth — allowing us to wire ourselves to the environment. That adaptability was our evolutionary advantage. It still is.
A living example: the curious leadership of Satya Nadella
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, offers a compelling example of neoteny in action. While not a geezer, he exemplifies the qualities Bennis and Thomas admired. Nadella revived Microsoft not through domination but curiosity. He infused empathy into engineering, encouraged play and experimentation, and rebuilt a growth mindset across the organization.
His favorite question, repeated often in interviews, is: What are you learning right now? That question — childlike in tone, profound in effect — speaks to his neotenous mindset. In a high-stakes world, it is his sense of discovery and willingness to learn anew that set the tone for cultural transformation. Under his leadership, Microsoft went from stagnation to renewed relevance, not through force, but by renewing its youthful curiosity.
Historic echoes: Einstein, Churchill, Steinem
Einstein famously said he never grew up. His scientific breakthroughs came not from rigid logic alone, but from imagination, play, and visual thinking — qualities typically associated with childhood. Winston Churchill retained the stubborn spirit of a rebellious schoolboy, even in the face of existential threats. And Gloria Steinem, famous for her role as a leading figure in the women's rights movement, now in her 90s, remains a champion of reinvention, once quipping: “I’m still learning. That’s what makes life interesting.”
What they all share is the ability to stay vital — not by resisting aging, but by refusing to let go of youthful states of mind. These neotenous leaders remind us that real maturity isn’t about becoming fixed. It’s about staying fluid.
Final thoughts
Neoteny isn’t about pretending to be young. It’s about staying open — to change, to learning, to wonder. In a world where the rules keep shifting, the ability to lead with a beginner’s mind is more than charm — it’s a form of strategic resilience.
Whether you’re 35 or 75, the key question is: have you stayed curious? Do you still find joy in discovery, play in experimentation, and courage in uncertainty?
The leaders who do — who stay young at heart and nimble in mind — are the ones most likely to shape the future. Not in spite of the chaos, but because they know how to dance with it.
