Curiosity killed the cat… but is it bad for leaders?
“Curiosity killed the cat.”
This proverb warns someone from asking unwanted questions. It also implies that being curious can lead to danger!
But in the world of leadership, the exact opposite is true!
Curiosity is a core leadership competency that every leader must develop.
Being curious will…
- Encourage you to try new approaches to leadership.
- Allow you to be less judgmental of your team when they aren’t performing to your standards.
- Help you to develop a team culture where people feel safe to challenge the status quo and thus improve your team’s output and performance.
So, what can you do to practice being more curious at work?
Here is a list of the top 5 ways that you can be a more curious leader:
- Be interested in learning new skills and developing yourself rather than criticizing yourself for not being proficient at that task, skill, or behavior.
- Be open to finding new ways to do things rather than saying, “This is how we do it around here.”
- Be curious about what makes people tick rather than make judgments or assumptions about them.
- Ask yourself, “What CAN I control or influence?” rather than worrying about things you have no control over.
- Solve problems collaboratively with your team and seek their input in decision-making rather than thinking that you need to solve team issues on your own.
Which of these five strategies can you apply to be more curious?
Now please go apply it!
Just think, what would the world be like if we were all just 10% more curious and 10% less judgemental of ourselves and other people?
