Reflecting on the Business Case for Curiosity

As leaders, do we really value inquisitive minds – or do we unwittingly stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency?

The Business case for Curiosity explores 5 distinct dimensions of Curiosity – and highlights some important benefits for individuals & organizations.

This Piece contends that Leaders should hire for curiosity, model inquisitiveness, emphasize learning goals, let workers explore and broaden their interests, and have “Why?” “What if…?” and “How might we…?” days.

Doing so will help their organizations adapt to uncertain market conditions and external pressures and boost the business’s success.

In some organizations, leaders and employees alike receive the implicit message that asking questions is an unwanted challenge to authority. They are trained to focus on their work without looking closely at the process or their overall goals. Why?

• Would employees become more distracted, less focused on key tasks?
• Would an organization filled with curious or inquisitive individuals be less efficient?
• Exploration often involves questioning the status quo and doesn’t always produce useful information.

When we are curious, we view tough situations more creatively.?Studies?have found that curiosity is associated with less defensive reactions to stress and less aggressive reactions to provocation.

Key Organizational Benefits

• Reduced Group Conflict
• More open communication and better team performance
• More Innovation & positive changes in different roles
• Fewer decision-making errors. Curiosity helps us generate alternatives and we’re less likely to fall prey to confirmation bias.

When our curiosity is triggered, we think more deeply and rationally about decisions and come up with more-creative solutions.?

You may have heard about the “5 Why’s exercise”, originally described by Taiichi Ohno?at?Toyota. How about asking a few ‘Why questions’ as you engage in your work next week? .

5 Ways to Bolster or Foster Curiosity @ Work

• Hire for Curiosity – As we hire leaders into our organizations, are we being intentional about assessing curiosity? Do we care either way?
• Model Inquisitiveness – Leaders are often expected to have all the answers. Perhaps it’s time for us to ask more questions. That requires us to be vulnerable and willing to entertain new ways of thinking or doing.
• Emphasize Learning Goals – as well as the more performance-oriented metrics on our Balanced Scorecards. Leaders can help employees adopt a learning mindset by communicating the importance of learning and by rewarding people not only for their performance but for the learning needed to get there. Are we actively advocating a Learning Mindset in our organizations. The reference to Capt. Sully Sullenberger here is noteworthy.
• Exploring & Broadening Interests. Facebook, Google, and several other well-known organizations are known for giving employees some leeway to spend time exploring their interests. The story referenced here about Olivetti & Divisumma is interesting. By promoting a process that allows all sorts of ideas to be explored, leaders send a clear message that learning is a key goal even if it doesn’t always lead to success.

Full Article by Francesca Gino - The Business Case for Curiosity (hbr.org)