Fostering Curiosity, Self-Awareness And Authenticity In The Workplace

POST WRITTEN BY

Jonathan H. Westover, Ph.D

OD & Change Management Consultant (Human Capital Innovations); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (Woodbury School of Business, UVU), Social Impact & Innovation Guru

Early in my life, I developed a keen sense of curiosity. While my curiosity has sometimes butted up against the status quo and existing systems of power (as I am always asking that annoying “why” question!), an intrinsic curiosity about the world, organizations and the interpersonal dynamics among those around me has largely served me well in my career.

Additionally, that same curiosity has pushed me to closely examine myself, as I try to better understand why I do what I do and how I interface with the world around me. I have found that as I better understand myself, I can better understand those around me and show genuine compassion and empathy. A heightened self-awareness also helps me to be more authentically myself, as I have the courage to unapologetically be who I am and use my unique talents and abilities to serve those around me.

The Case For Curiosity

Not only is fostering a sense of curiosity important in our personal life, but curiosity in the workplace is also an essential component to drive ongoing innovation and ensure your organization is remaining competitive and continually adding value to the market.

A recent HBR?article?argues the business case for curiosity: “Curiosity is much more important to an enterprise’s performance than was previously thought. That’s because cultivating it at all levels helps leaders and their employees adapt to uncertain market conditions and external pressures... by making small changes to the design of their organizations and the ways they manage their employees, leaders can encourage curiosity — and improve their companies. ... although leaders might?say?they treasure inquisitive minds, in fact most stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency.”

While the business case of fostering curiosity is clear, very few leaders are able to effectively create and maintain the prerequisite environment that allows curiosity to bloom and thrive. It is not enough to merely say the right things — leaders at all levels need to consistently walk the walk and ensure that they are creating a curiosity-positive culture, where appropriate risk-taking is encouraged and rewarded, where “failure” is framed as iterative learning and growth and where members of the team feel safe to speak up and speak out when the status quo or existing assumptions need to be challenged.

Creating A Curiosity Culture

A curiosity-encouraging and -promoting culture doesn’t happen by accident. In fact, most organizations have bureaucratic mechanisms in place that actively discourage and stifle curiosity. So how do we go about developing and sustaining a culture of curiosity among our team?

A recent Forbes?article?highlights the importance and role of fear, assumptions, technology and environment in creating a culture of curiosity. The author suggests, “Once people learn what inhibits them, it is easier for them and their organizations to move forward to reap the rewards of developing a curious mindset.”

Without first understanding the fears of our people and the environmental factors (policies, practices, procedures and cultural elements) that drive those fears, we have little hope of fostering and sustaining dynamic curiosity culture. We also need to understand the assumptions behind the way information is interpreted and processed, how decisions are made in our team and organizational unit and ultimately the guiding principles and frameworks that guide our leaders’ style and approach. Finally, how we leverage technology speaks volumes about our priorities, our values, our commitment to data and assessment and our commitment to support our people.

The Role Of Self-Awareness In Promoting Authenticity

Without first understanding ourselves, we will be hard-pressed to be effective in our interactions with those around us. Too often, we are rather oblivious to how we are coming across to others and how we are impacting those around us, despite what may be our best intentions. Additionally, without self-awareness, it is near impossible to be our true, authentic self as we interact with members of our team.

As leaders, we need to model, encourage and promote authenticity among our team. In a recent Forbes?article, the author states today's employees “want to work for someone they feel they know well and trust. They don’t expect perfection; they expect honesty and openness. ... Authentic leaders know this. They openly face their gifts and strengths as well as their vulnerabilities and development challenges. They know themselves well. They don’t try to be someone they’re not, no matter the environment or circumstances. And through their own authenticity, they make it safe for others to be themselves at work, too.”

If we want an authentically curious culture, we must create a psychologically safe environment for our team, where everyone has permission to be vulnerable and bring their whole authentic self to work! As said in another recent Forbes?article, “This is generally only achieved in time by allowing people to express opinions in a non-judgmental space, contribute to the greater good of the organization, and be allowed to be different from the status quo without ramification.”

There is no shortcut to creating this type of environment, where members of your team feel safe enough to be their true, whole selves at work. It starts with developing genuine relationships of mutual accountability and trust with your people, which can only happen over time. But as we prioritize the time and energy to develop these relationships, psychological safety will increase and team members’ willingness to be vulnerable and authentic at work will increase.

Conclusion

In order to find happiness and fulfillment in life, let alone at work, we first need to foster an unquenchable curiosity about the world. This curiosity should extend to ourselves, and as we become more self-aware, we can then model authenticity for our team and give everyone permission to bring their whole authentic self to work.

This article was originally published at Forbes.com.