Creating a Culture of Curiosity

Curiosity isn’t a word that normally pops into our minds when we talk about leadership. We usually tend to focus on influence, or integrity, or competency. But I believe curiosity is a highly underrated skill. And just like any other skill, it takes practice to master.

At its core, curiosity is the desire to learn or know about something. I think sometimes we confuse listening with curiosity. While being a good listener is a part of curiosity, it doesn’t stop with just asking questions. When you’re asking questions, you’re trying to get the other person to prove they know something. But if you’re curious, you’re trying to learn something. It leads with the goal of learning more.

When a leader develops the skill of curiosity, it sends a message to their team that says, “While I have a point of view, I realize mine isn’t the only one. I would like to hear yours, because I’m teachable and I value what you think.” When leaders exhibit curiosity, they encourage others to have a point of view and share it.

So how can we develop curiosity? I believe there are a few easy ways we can improve it:

1. DEVELOP SELF-AWARENESS.

Curious leaders are self-aware and know their strengths and weaknesses. And they realize that while they know many things, they don’t know everything. Curiosity opens the door to say, “I want to learn, and I want to grow.” It’s a posture of humility.

2. CREATE A LEARNING CULTURE.

Leaders with a curious mindset view every experience—good, bad, or neutral—as a learning experience. What happened on the project that you didn’t expect? What went right, but also what went wrong? How could that conflict with a team member have been handled differently? Don’t be afraid to set the tone with your team of looking at things from all angles—not with a goal of pointing fingers, but a goal of being curious about what there is to learn for moving forward.

3. NOTICE WHAT (AND WHO) GOES AGAINST THE STATUS QUO.

Often, we bump up against people at work that tackle life differently. They go about their personal growth plans or professional tasks in a completely different direction or format than you do. Maybe they have a perspective or background that helps them see life differently; maybe being curious about their why and how will give you fresh perspective in the things that you face.

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