Let Curiosity Inspire You to Reach Your Loftiest Goals

Ingagement

May 23

Curiosity is the force that has led human beings to conquer polio, to fly to the moon, and to discover the new world. But curiosity is not only a force that has changed history. It is also something that can transform your life in ways like these. It can . . .

Turn you from a pretty good student into an academic standout.
Lead you to discover your best career and higher purpose for your life.
Inspire you to live in new places and lead a more adventurous life.
Discover and use new technologies and tools.
Make you a “life learner” with an insatiable hunger to keep growing.
Improve your fitness level, health, and athletic performance.

But Those Are Only a Small Part of What You Unlock when You Empower Your Curiosity
Yes, curiosity can transform your personal life in the ways we describe above. But when you release its power to transform the people in your organization, even more remarkable changes will happen. Assets like the following become part of your culture and happen organically . . .

You and your team learn about and use cutting edge technologies, simply because you are curious about them.
You talk to your clients and customers in an ingaged way because you really want to know what they are doing and how you can help them.
You keep a close watch on what your competitors are doing.
You investigate new business opportunities in new locations, simply because you really want to know.
You deeply study metrics and results that shed light on what you are doing – again, because you really want to know.
You are constantly on the lookout for new products, new customers, new vendors – and all things new.

And it all starts with curiosity. But how can you trigger that kind of organization-wide urge to learn and inquire? Here are some proven strategies.

Unleash and Showcase Your Personal and Passionate Curiosity
“Model the behavior you would like to inspire in others” is a familiar leadership axiom. It simply means that to encourage specific attitudes and behaviors in the people you lead, you should start by practicing them yourself. For example, a kind executive will cause kindness to extend through the ranks of his or her organization, leading to a kinder overall atmosphere system wide.Similarly, you can encourage curiosity in others simply by being personally curious about the world. As a leader at any level in your organization, you can encourage curiosity by . . .

Exploring everything that is new in your sector, in your region and in the wider world, and then talking about it in every appropriate setting – from meetings with your executive team to one-on-one sessions with the people you supervise.
Speaking openly and enthusiastically about what you are exploring and learning. Your enthusiasm about being curious is a force that can spread throughout your team and organization – but only if you let your passion show.
Making it clear that research and inquiry are part of your job, not something you hide away or do in your off-hours. When you show you are an executive who learns, other people will follow suit.
Taking part in executive development programs, certification programs and other activities that demonstrate your eagerness to learn and grow.

Make Research Projects at Least 25 Percent of the Work You Delegate
Assigning research projects to your team is one effective way to encourage curiosity in your organization. And with the right kind of curious mindset, you can position more projects as opportunities to learn. You can say, for example . . .

“I would like your task force to investigate and recommend the more forward-thinking systems for inventory control and report back to us” instead of, “Go pick a good inventory management product.”
“Please talk with representatives from our five biggest customers and discuss five things we could be doing better for them” instead of, “Go find ways to sell more to our customers.”
“Please visit the business locations of five other companies in our sector, see what they are doing, and report back to us on facility best practices” instead of, “Call a real estate agent and find some new facilities we can consider.”

You get the idea. Curiosity is more than just something you do. It is a way of doing things which, when practiced enthusiastically and consistently, will change your organization for the better.