“A lot of leaders stop in their growth because they lose their curiosity.”
John Maxwell
Ask a business leader what makes them successful, and odds are you won’t hear “Curiosity.” That makes me curious about the reasons why.
For some organizations, the barriers to curiosity are baked in. It may be a culture that rewards fast execution, certainty, and quantifiable metrics. Or a leader who feels pressure to have all the answers and views asking questions as a sign of weakness. Thus, curiosity is often seen as a distraction.
These barriers may be significant, but so are the benefits of being curious.
Curiosity can lead to discovery and innovation. Remember this old trope, “Curiosity killed the cat?” Well, it also cured polio, discovered penicillin, and led to numerous innovations, both in technology and business operations.
Not to mention, despite all of their wonderful attributes (cats were considered deities in ancient Egypt), there is no historical record of a cat being a successful business leader.
At its core, curiosity is an eager desire to learn and explore, and that’s the catalyst for innovation, creative problem-solving, and continuous learning.
In short, possibility.
Author and self-described provocateur Howie Milstein points out that curiosity includes both attitude and behavior. A curious attitude means choosing to put aside our certainty and seeking to understand other views. Curious behavior is asking questions designed to uncover clarity.
Once you choose a mindset of curiosity, here’s what it takes to kick-start the Questions-to-Momentum™️ Flywheel:
- Ask Constructive Questions: Instead of settling for simple answers, ask “Why” or “How” to uncover root causes of an issue and ultimately improvement opportunities. Here’s a suggestion from Mason Cooley: “’Why Not?’ is a slogan for an interesting life.”
- Actively Listening: Asking good questions then requires you to demonstrate a genuine interest in the answers by really listening to understand.
- Seek Different Perspectives: You never know where good ideas may come from, so don’t pre-judge sources of new ways of thinking.
A word of warning: As Yara Shahidi pointed out in a TedTalk, curiosity and its resulting discoveries can often challenge your past ways of thinking and long-held beliefs. You may find your comfort zone under attack, but remember: All learning and growth lies outside your comfort zone.
So don’t let that (or any other barrier) keep you from exercising your curiosity muscle. The opportunities are there for the discovering.
Let’s give Albert Einstein the last word:
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
Success Authorities helps leaders break the cycle of decision fatigue and burnout with the Questions-to-Momentum™️ Flywheel – a structured path from questions to clarity, decisions, action, and sustained momentum.
