Unleash curiosity to lift performance

The human brain can create new neural pathways and rewire itself in response to new experiences and learning. This ability, known as neuroplasticity, means that our brains can change and adapt throughout our lives and are not limited by the neural connections we are born with.

But this fact also raises a further thought-provoking question. How can we harness the power of neuroplasticity to enhance performance? The key to this question is = curiosity.

One fascinating fact about curiosity is that it is not just a trait or a personality characteristic, it is also a learnable skill that can be developed and improved with practice.

Studies have shown that by actively seeking out new experiences and knowledge, individuals can increase their curiosity levels and, in turn, enhance their cognitive abilities and overall well-being. Moreover, research[1] has found that practicing curiosity can even increase the size of the hippocampus, a brain region associated with memory and learning. This suggests that curiosity can physically change the brain and improve its function.

When you encounter a question or problem that piques your curiosity, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate motivation and pleasure. Dopamine enhances neural plasticity, the brain's ability to form and strengthen connections between neurons, which allows you to learn and remember new information more effectively.

Scientific research[2] has found that when people are presented with an interesting problem to solve but are not given the answer immediately, their brains become more active and engaged. This heightened state of curiosity can lead to greater insights and better problem-solving abilities, which can be particularly valuable in the workplace.

Why should organizations care about curiosity?

A recent study (2021 SAS Global Survey on Curiosity) [3] showed that 72% of managers worldwide view curiosity as a precious trait, with over half agreeing that it has become a competitive advantage. The survey also revealed that curiosity could drive real business impact and lead to higher employee performance, regardless of people’s roles or organizational levels. This research concludes that curiosity is a valuable trait that can yield significant business benefits, and companies that fail to embrace it risk falling behind. This research concludes that organizations can attract and retain talented employees and foster a more innovative and productive workplace by recognizing and embracing curiosity.

Furthermore, research[4] suggests that cultivating curiosity in the workplace can have various benefits and real business cases for an organization.

Employees who are encouraged to ask questions, explore new ideas, and seek out knowledge tend to be more engaged and fulfilled in their jobs, and are less likely to experience burnout or boredom. This can also lead to improved performance and productivity and more innovative and creative solutions to problems.

Encouraging curiosity in the workplace can foster a culture of innovation and open-mindedness, leading to better team performance and reduced risk of team conflict.[5] Here is a summary of curiosity benefits for organizations often cited in literature:

• Drive employee engagement: Curious employees are more engaged and motivated, as they are interested in their work and seek to learn and improve.
• Better focus through increased strategic alignment: When individuals are curious, they are more likely to seek out information, ask questions, and explore new ideas. This can help to improve their understanding of the organization's mission, goals, and objectives, and can ultimately lead to better alignment.
• Improved organizational capabilities: A curious workforce is constantly learning, which leads to individual and organizational growth. Encouraging curiosity can lead to improved knowledge, skills, and competencies.
• Boost Innovation: A curious mindset can help organizations identify new opportunities and approaches to solving problems, leading to innovation and competitive advantage.
• Accelerate continuous improvement: Curiosity helps employees approach problems from multiple angles, leading to more effective and creative solutions.
• Increase Organizational resilience: Curiosity helps employees stay open-minded and adaptable, making them better equipped to handle change and uncertainty in the workplace.

What can you as leader do to foster curiosity? – Don’t fear it, and just ask why!

Leaders worry that encouraging curiosity will lead to chaos or a lack of control, as employees explore new ideas and take risks.

A culture of curiosity does not necessarily lead to scattered focus or lack of discipline. In fact, research[6] has shown that organizations that promote curiosity tend to be better aligned, have a better understanding of their competitors and the market, and generally perform better than their peers.

It's also important to differentiate between curiosity and creativity. While curiosity can lead to creativity and innovation, they are not the same thing. Creativity involves generating new ideas, while curiosity involves exploring and seeking out new information and new ways of doing things. Curiosity can help organizations to identify potential challenges and opportunities, and to develop more effective strategies to address them. Here some recommendations on how to foster and cultivate curiosity in your team:

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• Request feedback about your own leadership: This involves asking others on your team for feedback about how you show up as a leader. Explain why you are asking for feedback and be specific about the skill that you want feedback on. Give the person time and space to respond and provide them with multiple ways to share their feedback so that they are comfortable doing so.

• Be interested in your broader business eco-system : Leaders must simply have a good working knowledge of competitors and of other functions and roles across the business first in order to be more effective. They need to understand how other parts of the business work and learn about different aspects of the organization.

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• Set aside time to discover new information: To uncover new possibilities, set aside time to explore industry trends, recent data and new ways of thinking. Pose essential “what if” questions. Challenge the thinking of those around you and encourage others to challenge you. Curious leaders are courageous and take personal risks - they are not content to stick with the status quo or only rely on approaches that have worked in the past.

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• Be open-minded and embrace diverse perspectives: Leaders who are curious are also open-minded and embrace diverse perspectives – even if they might seem uncomfortable. They seek out opinions and feedback from people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. They recognize that this diversity can lead to new ideas and innovative solutions.

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• Continuously learn and grow: Successful leaders understand that learning and growth never stop. They are always looking for opportunities to develop new skills, broaden their knowledge and expand their perspectives. They ask a lot of questions, attend conferences, take courses and seek out mentorship and coaching. They are committed to lifelong learning and are constantly looking for ways to improve themselves and their organizations.

What can organizations do to foster curiosity?

Individuals who perform well tend to have an innate inclination toward curiosity[8]. However, those who struggle to perform may still desire to be curious, but they may find their ability to be curious limited due to factors such as stress, routine, a lack of role models, and a work-culture that does not prioritize and value curiosity. To address this, the following strategies can help foster curiosity in organizations:

1. Remove barriers to curiosity
2. Encourage collaboration and networking
3. Provide access to diverse sources of information
4. Foster a safe and supportive environment where creativity can flourish
5. Embed curiosity in continuous performance management
6. Relentlessly promote a culture of “true” learning

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1. Remove barriers to curiosity:

The first barrier is that leaders often need to have a better mindset about exploration, fearing that it will lead to distraction, disagreement and slow decision-making. The second barrier is that leaders often prioritize efficiency at the expense of exploration, leading to a lack of innovation and an inability to adapt to changing circumstances. Finally, despite recognizing the benefits of curiosity, organizations frequently discourage it, making it difficult for employees to pursue new ideas and innovative solutions.

Executive leadership should deliberately promote a culture of curiosity by integrating it into the organization's mission, vision, and values.

Example: A company's mission statement can emphasize the value of curiosity in its employees and how it drives innovation and success. Managers can include curiosity as a criteria for promotion and recognize and reward employees who show curiosity in their work. Novartis has embedded curiosity as part of its values and mission under the theme of “innovation”. Their corporate culture is founded on a set of core values that includes "courage," "collaboration," "quality" and “performance”[9].

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2.?Encourage collaboration and networking:

Collaboration across teams and departments can help employees learn from others with different skill sets and perspectives, leading to more significant curiosity and innovative thinking. Networking events and opportunities can also provide exposure to new ideas and perspectives.

Example: A company can organize cross-functional teams to work on projects together or hold company-wide brainstorming sessions. A manager can encourage employees to attend conferences or networking events related to their field to meet others and gain new insights. Coca-Cola has an innovation platform called "Coca-Cola Creations," which brings together internal and external partners to collaborate on new ideas, projects, and products[10].

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3.?Provide access to diverse sources of information:

Providing access to various resources, such as books, articles, and research papers can help employees broaden their knowledge and spark curiosity. Encouraging employees to seek information from diverse sources and perspectives can also foster curiosity and innovation.

Example: A company can create a library of resources on topics relevant to its industry or provide access to online learning platforms. A manager can encourage employees to read and share articles from various sources, both inside and outside the company. McKinsey & Company has an A.I. powered knowledge management system, which provides employees the relevant and contextualized access to various resources and insights. McKinsey & Company also encourages employees through clearly defined behaviours to actively exchange, challenge and find information from different sources and perspectives[11].

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4.?Foster a safe and supportive environment where creativity can flourish:

Creating a culture of psychological safety, where employees feel comfortable taking risks and asking questions, can help to promote curiosity and creativity. Open communication and feedback build trust and encourage curiosity.

Example: A company can hold regular feedback sessions and encourage employees to share their thoughts and ideas without fear of judgment. A manager can create a supportive environment by actively listening to employees' questions and ideas and encouraging them to take risks and experiment with new approaches. A company that fosters a safe and supportive environment for curiosity is Pixar. Pixar has a strong focus on a culture of psychological safety.[12], where employees feel comfortable taking risks and asking questions. Pixar also encourages open communication and feedback, which helps to build trust and encourages curiosity and exploration.

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5.?Embed curiosity in continuous performance management:

Embedding continuous performance management practices can allow for constant goals, fostering curiosity and encouraging innovation. By setting challenging but achievable goals and providing regular feedback and coaching, employees are more likely to stay engaged and curious in their work[13]. This can lead to higher levels of job satisfaction and increased productivity.

Example: A company that has embedded curiosity in their continuous performance management practices is Microsoft. They use a system called "Microsoft Viva Goals[14]," which encourages managers to provide regular feedback and coaching to their employees and to set challenging but achievable goals that foster curiosity and innovation. By embedding curiosity in their performance management practices, Microsoft has been able to create a culture of continuous learning and improvement, leading to increased productivity and employee satisfaction.

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6.?Relentlessly promote a culture of “true” learning:

This one I think, is the most relevant of all the strategies displayed here: Numerous studies[15] have suggested that true learning occurs when individuals venture beyond the confines of their comfort zone. This concept of pushing oneself beyond familiar and comfortable territory is often called the "learning zone." In the learning zone, individuals tackle tasks that are unfamiliar or within their area of expertise. This creates a unique environment for growth and development, as individuals are challenged to acquire new knowledge and improve their skills.

Example: Assigning employees challenging projects or tasks outside their usual work scope can help them develop new skills and knowledge. This can include giving employees responsibility for new projects or initiatives or encouraging them to work across departments or functions. Amazon has a unique and dedicated approach to fostering a learning culture[16], which includes seriously encouraging employees to learn take on new challenges and learn from failure. They also offer a vast array of training programs and opportunities for employees to rotate through different roles within the company, allowing them to develop new skills and knowledge.

Fostering curiosity in the workplace requires a purposeful and intentional effort from organizations, leaders, and employees. A conscious commitment to support and recognize exploration and learning.

Sources:

[1] Duszkiewicz AJ, McNamara CG, Takeuchi T, Genzel L. Novelty and Dopaminergic Modulation of Memory Persistence: A Tale of Two Systems. Trends Neurosci. 2019 Feb;42(2):102-114

[2] Gruber MJ, Gelman BD, Ranganath C. States of curiosity modulate hippocampus-dependent learning via the dopaminergic circuit. Neuron. 2014 Oct 22;84(2)

[3] Curiosity@Work Report - 2021 (sas.com)

[4] The Business Case for Curiosity (hbr.org)

[5] Stefaan van Hooydonk., & Stefaan van Hooydonk|AUTHOR. (2022).?The Workplace Curiosity Manifesto: How Curiosity Helps Individuals and Organizations Thrive in Transformational Times. New Degree Press.

[6] The Business Case for Curiosity (hbr.org)

[7] Stefaan van Hooydonk., & Stefaan van Hooydonk|AUTHOR. (2022).?The Workplace Curiosity Manifesto: How Curiosity Helps Individuals and Organizations Thrive in Transformational Times. New Degree Press.

[8] Intellectual Curiosity Is Key to Career Success (betterup.com)

[9] Our Values | Novartis CZ

[10] Coca-Cola Launches Global Innovation Platform Coca-Cola Creations:: The Coca-Cola Company (KO)

[11] Knowledge Management in large consulting firms-Mckinsey, Ernst & Young (document360.com)

[12] PIXAR'S Unparalleled Success and its roots in Psychological Safety - Well-being (well-being-works.co.uk)

[13] LMHoffmann 2023 future of PM LinkedIn

[14] Microsoft Releases Viva Goals: Performance Management Is Sexy Again – JOSH BERSIN

[15] Seven key practices for lifelong learners | McKinsey

[16] Amazon’s career development strategy: What HR can learn | HR Dive

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