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Why Unlearning What We Know Helps Us Move Forward – Image Credit Unsplash+
“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” — Mark Twain
Mark Twain’s simplicity and sometimes convoluted humor often highlighted the shortcomings of his readers, ones we are not keen on admitting to ourselves, let alone others. This particular quote from Twain aptly describes a trap that often catches professionals at every level: the tendency to mistake our opinions for concrete facts. Having just attended HITEC® 2025, the hospitality industry’s premier technology event produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), it was clear that digital transformation in our industry is accelerating daily, and this tendency to confuse opinion with fact becomes particularly costly. The real trouble isn’t what we don’t know but our tendency to cling to outdated “certainties” that no longer serve us.
So, what prompted this line of thought? I will attribute it to attending HITEC, but not in the way you might think. While browsing at an airport bookstore on the way to our gate. A book title on the shelves caught my eye: Think Again by Adam Grant. The title immediately resonated because it aligned with research from my dissertation on new employee onboarding practices, specifically the concept of unlearning.
Sounds strange, right? They never asked us to unlearn in school; if so, I would have been valedictorian! My research found that when new employees join an organization, they don’t arrive with blank slates ready to absorb knowledge (Becker & Bish, 2021). Instead, they bring deeply ingrained assumptions that can help or hinder how they adapt to organizational culture. Integrating these employees into their new roles requires an intentional unlearning process, which entails identifying and releasing outdated knowledge before embracing new realities.
In “Think Again,” Grant presents a similar interpretation. He suggests that intellectual humility (knowing that you don’t know) trumps confident certainty (what just isn’t so) in rapidly changing environments. Rather than defending our beliefs like preachers or attacking others’ ideas like prosecutors, Grant advocates for a “scientist mindset,” approaching situations with curiosity and remaining genuinely open to different realities.
Learning to Unlearn
Research reveals that not all knowledge is the same, so unlearning requires different strategies (Joshi, 2024). For example, learning new software is like switching from a gas stove to an induction cooktop. You are still cooking, but it requires practice as there are new controls, and the heat response is different until the timing becomes natural. This is called procedural knowledge, and it can usually be replaced through repetition and practice (Dixon, n.d.).
Conversely, deeper beliefs (cognitive and attitudinal expertise) about how business works require a completely different approach. Consider a hotel manager whose years of experience have ingrained the belief that exceptional service meant having staff anticipate every guest need before they ask. That same manager must now embrace self-service kiosks and mobile apps, where guests prefer to handle requests themselves. This goes beyond learning new procedures; instead, it requires fundamentally rethinking what good service looks like.
This difference can explain why implementing change in this information age does not always go as smoothly as intended. For example, a resort installs a new property management software and trains staff on the technical steps. However, if those same employees still believe that “real hospitality” requires face-to-face interaction for every transaction, they’ll find workarounds that defeat the system’s purpose. The most successful transformations happen when organizations help their teams unlearn the old procedures and assumptions that drove those procedures (Becker & Bish, 2021).
Unlearning happens in three clear steps (Joshi, 2024):
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First, something makes people doubt what they’ve always done. A new competitor succeeds with a completely different approach, or a trusted mentor questions their methods. This shakes confidence in the tried-and-true method.
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Next is the middle phase, where people try new approaches while still returning to old habits when stressed. For example, a revenue manager might commit to data-driven pricing but will override the system based on “gut feeling” during busy periods. They’re experimenting but not fully committed yet.
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The final step is when genuine confidence in the new approach develops, and the old solution becomes a thing of the past. The new way becomes the default.
Finally, take time in the unlearning process. Organizations that try to speed through these unlearning phases will find that their team members will pretend to adopt new practices while secretly sticking to what they know works.
A Good Fight Club
In Think Again, Grant recommends “good fight clubs.” These are not to be confused with confrontational arguments. On the contrary, they are structured meetings where teams can openly question current strategies without being seen as troublemakers. Disagreements are not treated as disloyalty but as normal business practice, where questioning becomes essential for maintenance and professional development.
Networking sessions at HITEC also offer similar opportunities. Here, industry professionals feel safe enough to challenge each other’s long-held beliefs. Away from their workplace politics, they feel safe discussing traditional approaches that may not be working.
Moving Forward
Business culture traditionally emphasizes accumulating knowledge and maintaining confidence, making uncertainty feel dangerous. Yet research suggests that the capacity to question assumptions and release outdated beliefs may be the most valuable competitive advantage (Grant, 2021). This requires organizational change (Dixon, n.d.). Leaders who change course when presented with better information should be celebrated, not criticized.
In today’s environment of accelerated change, the relationship with knowledge itself must evolve. The goal isn’t accumulating and defending fixed beliefs, but developing skills that allow continuous evaluation, questioning, and release of what people think they know.
Whether managing a hotel, overseeing a portfolio, operating a private club, developing educational resources, or creating technology solutions, hospitality success requires courage to question certainties and the wisdom to let go of what just ain’t so. The industry’s transformation depends not just on adopting new technologies, but also on releasing mental models that no longer serve evolving guest expectations and operational realities.
References:
Arlene Ramirez, Ed.D., Senior Vice President of Learning for HFTP, has over 25 years of hospitality finance experience. She brings extensive expertise in various segments of hospitality business operations to her role. Her financial background from the corporate and property level proves invaluable in designing relevant educational content for HFTP’s community of finance and technology professionals. Dr. Ramirez was also a faculty member at the Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership, allowing her to effectively bridge theoretical concepts with practical applications in HFTP’s educational initiatives.
She holds a doctorate in Instructional Systems Design and Technology and an MBA from Sam Houston State University, a BBA in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin, and industry certifications including CHAE, CHE, CHIA, and CAHTA. She is a frequent author and speaker at hospitality industry events.
Connect with Arlene on LinkedIn.
