I´ve yet to see ´curiosity´ listed on a leadership competency model, and yet, I´m becoming increasingly aware of the significant negative consequences that result from a lack of curiosity from leaders.
I ´googled´ curiosity and this definition was my favorite:
Curiosity is any natural inquisitive behavior, evident by observation in many animal species, and is the emotional aspect of living beings that engenders exploration, investigation and learning. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curiosity
Why is curiosity so important? The late Peter Drucker, Jim Collins, and other business gurus of this time have said repeatedly that great leaders ask great questions. In order to ask great questions, a leader needs to be genuinely interested in knowing. And, this genuine interest in knowing about something requires that a leader not assume that she or he already has it all figured out. Herein lies the rub...
It has been my experience (and I´d love to hear about yours) that leaders are so busy in their directing or strategizing modes that they miss the all-important assessment, or information gathering aspect of any good decision-making process. This lack of curiosity results in limited interaction with customers and prospects, employees, suppliers, community representatives, and so on. Even when meetings of this nature occur, there is often a sense that the leader is simply going through the motions, biding his or her time until the meeting can be politely wrapped up.
Beyond leaders believing they already know the answers, I´m guessing that a part of the problem is the sheer pace at which we feel compelled to work. It leaves little time and space for open-ended discovery. In the sense of overwhelm that seems commonplace with leaders (and employees for that matter), there is no desire to bring up anything new, given an already overflowing plate of responsibilities.
How refreshing would it be to have leaders regularly sit with their various constituents, take out a fresh piece of paper, and ask, "So, what´s on your mind?", or "Where are you seeing some possibilities right now?", or "What´s next?". Any or all of these questions could begin an ongoing conversation leading to innovation, to improved relationships, and to higher levels of engagement for all parties involved.
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.
Albert Einstein
German born American physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955
