Are You Curious?
There is one trait, more than any other, that distinguishes healthy leaders from unhealthy leaders.
Are you curious?
I really hope you are, because curiosity is the defining factor for most healthy leaders.
Curiosity is the key to unlocking self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and compassion.
Curiosity is crucial for innovation, process improvement, and problem solving.
Curiosity empowers both personal growth and organizational change.
Curious leaders are interesting and interested. They are engaged and engaging. They are trustworthy trust builders. They learn, they grow, they can acknowledge weaknesses and failures. They have capacity for empathy and humility.
And the best news of all; curiosity is a quality that can be developed, nurtured, and even systematized for those who desire more of it.
Begin by asking more questions:
-Ask yourself why you think and act the way you do. Consider working with a counsellor, therapist, spiritual director, or mentor who will help you explore your inner identity with safety and support.
-Ask your team what ideas they have to improve your organization. Create a defined space for both small pragmatic tweaks and wild ranging brainstorms.
-Ask some peers what they’re learning. Join or start a book club, schedule a lunch and learn session, or try out some books, videos, or podcasts that are unlike your usual resources.
-Ask your clients and donors what they understand about your work that you might not. Well designed surveys, facilitated focus groups, or even casual conversations can yield insights you can’t find on your own.
Curiosity isn’t abandoning your established expertise or throwing everything into chaos. It is acknowledging the reality that too much certainty is a direct path through arrogance to error and irrelevance.
If there was ever really a time when a leader could know all the answers it is long gone now.
So, here’s to the curious leaders! Long may you wonder!
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