Leverage Curiosity in Leadership

The old saying goes: “Curiosity killed the cat.”  I always struggled with being a curious person.  It seemed like a bad thing.  “Don’t ask questions,” “Don’t be inquisitive,” “Don’t rock the boat.”  Ever hear these phrases?  I always felt stifled by that approach.  The words closed off room for discussion, opportunities, and exploration.  Frankly, they sent the message of exclusion of new ideas and thoughts.  Yet, it seems to be a way of life for many organizations. 

Why is that?  Very simply, it’s fear.

In a recent Forbes article by Stephynie Malik, she states: “Overcoming the fears associated with honest answers and objective opinions is a roadblock to many. Ego, arrogance, fear of being judged and fear of losing are just a few of the many reasons leaders are prevented from leveraging their curious side.” 

 Yet, if we leveraged curiosity, what might happen to us as leaders and as organizations?

Curiosity is an undervalued leadership attribute.  The Cambridge English Dictionary defines curiosity as “an eager wish to know or learn about something.”  What an amazing definition.  Think about it.  

Let’s break it down and apply it to a few leadership areas.

Curiosity about People

If you have an eager wish to know or learn about people, how might you show up differently as a leader?  I fundamentally believe that if more people were curious about other people – and actively seek to understand others -- many of the common interpersonal issues that arise at work would be eliminated.  Not only that, but if you think about it in the terms of diversity, inclusion and equity (DE&I) work, imagine how powerful infusing curiosity into your leadership competencies could be.

Leaders would need to check ego, arrogance, and fear at the door.  You can’t be curious with walls up around you.  You have to be open to other people - what they do, how they do it, why they do it.  When you ask questions and you really listen to what people are saying, they know that you are interested in them.  Your questions signal to your team that you're trying to understand and relate to them.  It sends a message – “I value you.”  This creates connection, where people are respected for who they are.

Curiosity about Work

Curiosity doesn’t allow you to get entrenched with beliefs such as “this is the way it’s always been done,” or “that will never work” thinking.  How many times have we shut ourselves off with these thoughts?  Leading with curiosity allows you to be open to possibilities.

Hanging on my office wall, I have framed the Desiderata.  If you’ve never read it, I encourage you to look it up; it’s a wonderful bit of wisdom.  One of the statements is: “Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.”  This stands out as a differentiator for those leaders that continue to grow.  They are consistently learning, consistently adding new information to their brains, consistently asking “why.”  They throw ideas out of left field that “might actually work.”  They share information or tips on things they learned with the zeal and joy of a baby discovering their feet for the first time. They are interested in what they are doing.  You know these individuals – they make you smile and give you hope.

Curiosity about Self

I remember getting my first 360 assessment.  It was a humbling, scary, difficult experience.  I hated all of it, resented the feedback, and got defensive.  My ego was bruised, I felt dejected, and I took it all wrong.  It took me a long time to be able to look back on that feedback and understand it’s value.  Unfortunately, that “long time” took away opportunity to really explore the feedback with curiosity.  If I had, I might have asked questions that helped me understand how I show up. My effectiveness and knowledge as a leader may have been accelerated.  

In the book, The One Thing, author Gary Keller writes, “The quality of any answer is directly determined by the quality of the question asked; the wrong question, get the wrong answer.  Ask the right question, get the right answer.  Ask the most powerful question possible and the answer can be life altering.” He’s right.  I remember when I finally got over my bruised ego, and I started to ask questions:  How am I showing up?  What can I do differently?  What do you need from me?  These questions helped to transform me.  I learned that it’s not always about me.  I focused on the needs of others – got curious – and started to grow.  In the process, I built more effective teams, had better results, and I was happier. 

Don’t get me wrong, getting constructive feedback can still be hard for me.  But I am continually learning how to ask the most powerful question to improve.   Working with a coach who asks me powerful questions also helps me to open myself up to possibilities.  In the words of Ghandi, "the power to question is the basis of all human progress."

According to InterestingLiterature.com, the original version of “curiosity killed the cat” was actually “care killed the cat.”  Care at that point in time meant worry.  Over time, the usage morphed to today’s phrase.  I think it makes more sense that worrying would kill the cat.

So, be curious my friends.