What are you curious about? Some folks will respond to this question with an immediate answer: “Everything!” Others may just look at you and ask what you mean. Whether at one end of the spectrum, or somewhere in the middle, watching someone respond to this question will allow you to immediately know a lot about them and their potential for long-term success.
In brief, curiosity is one of the most important traits and a high predictor for success identified by researchers at Korn Ferry, an international business consulting firm. In CEO Gary Burnison’s Special Edition, The Fall Whisper, he says most people think of growth, strategy, and vision as key traits for leaders. But curiosity has recently become recognized as an absolutely critical piece.
Since the pandemic of 2020, Burnison says our world has experienced “nonstop ambiguity” which requires leaders to look at the world with an open mind. Whatever your organization (for profit, non-profit, education, government, etc.), today’s rapid changes can only be met if we are aware of emerging trends and subsequently ready ourselves for action to meet the opportunities (or the risks) presented. We can meet this challenge by increasing our curiosity.
Here are three questions that can help increase curiosity:
- What are you curious about right now?
- How might you increase your curiosity (in more areas of your work and life)?
- Might listening be a strategy for increasing your curiosity? (Think about that one for a few moments.)
Think about context. Burnison says context is best friends with curiosity. By considering context, almost any event, trend, or observation can be handled or reframed to help visualize a path forward. By pairing curiosity with context and perspective, we can determine action.
Summary: In cultivating your curiosity, don’t forget to expand your knowledge (and possible options) further by remembering to listen well. The saying about “experts not listening because they already know the answer” rings true here. Imagine what might be missed if we are not open and curious to hear and learn about the other opportunities out there.
Homework Challenge: Create a list of some ways you might increase your curiosity… for things at work (to boost your professional career), and at home!
Additional Reading: Burnison, Gary (October 9, 2022). The Fall Whisper. Korn Ferry special edition publication.
Additional Resources: Dr. Brian Raison (raison.1@osu.edu) serves as a Professor and Extension Specialist at The Ohio State University. He has extracted these tools over the past dozen years from his formal classes and Extension programs. Free downloads and videos (and about 25 free e-book codes) are available online: http://encouragingmentor.com
Comments (0)