Unveiling the Power of Curiosity in Leadership

In the dynamic landscape of leadership, the journey is never static; it's an evolving process fueled by curiosity and a hunger for growth. Reflecting on something like the ingenuity of a child constructing something with LEGO bricks, we glimpse into the essence of leadership—a continual exploration of possibilities, and a relentless quest for improvement.

Leadership, akin to a masterpiece in progress, thrives on curiosity.

Beyond casting a vision and assembling a team, true leadership is about nurturing an insatiable curiosity about oneself, one's team, and the collective objectives. It's about embracing diverse perspectives, understanding how others perceive our leadership, and reveling in the boundless realm of curiosity.

WHAT IF YOU HAVE LOST YOUR PASSION FOR THE JOB?

When the intensity wanes, what happens when monotony threatens to overshadow passion? Transitioning from one role to another doesn't guarantee perpetual excitement; monotony can infiltrate any endeavor. Yet, amidst the mundane lies the catalyst for transformation—curiosity.

Acknowledging the mundane as an opportunity for exploration, I discovered a profound truth: curiosity is the antidote to boredom. By reframing tasks as voyages of discovery, the mundane becomes meaningful, and routine becomes rejuvenating.

CURE IT WITH CURIOSITY.

Transcending personal dissatisfaction, and integrating curiosity into the fabric of leadership revitalizes connections and fosters innovation. Embracing curiosity invites a symbiotic relationship between leaders and their teams, igniting collaborative fervor and unlocking untapped potential. As curiosity permeates, visions align, passions reignite, and the journey becomes a shared odyssey of growth.

So, let curiosity be your compass in leadership. Engage in a perpetual quest for knowledge, delve into the depths of understanding your team, and unearth insights waiting to be discovered. For within the realm of curiosity lies the transformative power to invigorate leadership, reignite passion, and cultivate enduring excellence.

What would it take for you to ignite more curiosity about your team? What can you learn from them? What insights could they offer on any of your current projects that you have not yet thought about?

How Can Curiosity Help Your Leadership Journey?

When a child builds a LEGO creation, they rarely step back and say, "This is my masterpiece, now my life's work is finished!" Instead, they allow their curiosity to grow and they often improve their handiwork or break it all down and build something entirely different with the LEGOs. Kids are very open to the possibilities of their creations.

Leadership is also this way.

In leadership, you cast a vision, identify your followers, and build your team up, but you definitely should not stop there. Become curious about your team, how you work together, and the goal(s) you are working toward achieving. Learn about your followers and look at your projects from all different angles. This will allow you to gain more perspective on how others see your leadership versus how you see it and it will allow you to revel in this curiosity.

WHAT IF YOU HAVE LOST YOUR PASSION FOR THE JOB?

Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of the book Eat, Pray, Love, says that one of the grand misconceptions about quitting your boring job so you can have a more creative life is that 90% of what you will find in your new life will be boring or mundane to you too. In my own life, I left my old job to pursue my passion and do what I felt would be more exciting.

Today, I get entrepreneurs and business people who come up to me and say, "I want to do what you do, it seems so rewarding!" This really makes me feel like helping my clients become more effective in their leadership is greatly impactful and I am proud of the work I do.

(But I want to let you in on a secret. 90% of what I do IS “boring”.)

I have contracting and invoicing, managing expectations, TSA, and delayed flights. But I would not trade my job for anything because I enjoy the wonderful and exciting 10% that allows me to interact with interesting people. The one main thing that motivates me through the mundane is those people, as well as one simple word: CURIOSITY.

CURE IT WITH CURIOSITY.

I learned to treat boredom by igniting curiosity. I take myself and my needs out of the equation, and instead, I make it into an exploration. Then, I am always learning and always curious.

I encourage you to add this to your leadership experience. Apply a journey of curiosity with the discipline of organizational leadership. Leadership is an arrangement between you and your followers. After some time, this relationship can become very boring if you don’t continue to remain curious.

Through curiosity and learning, you will strengthen your leadership and build stronger relationships with your followers. This newfound understanding will allow you to work in sync with your followers and you will see your visions arise. When this happens, there will be moments where the passion on both sides is reignited. Until those moments arrive, remain curious and eager to learn. This is a safe and wonderful place for you to explore.

What would it take for you to ignite more curiosity about your team? What can you learn from them? What insights could they offer on any of your current projects that you have not yet thought about?

How Can Curiosity Help Your Leadership Journey?

When a child builds a Lego creation, they rarely step back and say, "This is my masterpiece, my life's work is finished!" Instead, they allow their curiosity to grow and they often improve their handiwork or build something entirely different. Kids are open to the possibilities of their creations.

Leadership is also this way. Cast a vision, identify your followers, build your team up, but do not stop there. Become curious about your team, how you work together, and the goal you are working toward. Learn about your followers and look at your projects from different angles. This will allow you to gain perspective of how others see your leadership versus how you see it and allow you to revel in this curiosity.

WHAT IF YOU’VE LOST YOUR PASSION FOR THE JOB?

Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat Pray Love, says one of the grand misconceptions about quitting your boring job so you can have a creative life is that 90% of what you will find in your new life will be boring too. It is mundane. It is slugging it out. In my own life, I left my job to pursue my passion and do what I felt would be more exciting. Today, I get entrepreneurs and business people who come up to me and say, "I want to do what you do, it seems so cool." Now, helping my clients become more effective in their leadership is awesome.

But I want to let you in on a secret.

90% of what I do is boring.

I have contracting and invoicing, and managing expectations, and TSA, and delayed flights. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything because I enjoy the 10% that allows me to interact with interesting people. The one thing that motivates me through the mundane are those people, as well as one simple word: curiosity.

CURE IT WITH CURIOSITY

I treat the boring by igniting curiosity. I take myself and my needs out of it, and instead, make it an exploration. Always learning, always curious.

I encourage you to add this to your leadership experience: a journey of curiosity with the discipline of organizational leadership. Leadership is an arrangement between you and your followers. After some time, this relationship can become very boring, if you don’t remain curious.

Through curiosity and learning, you'll strengthen your leadership and build strong relationships with your followers. Your newfound understanding will allow you to work in sync and you'll see your vision arise. When this happens, there will be moments where the passion is reignited. Until those moments arrive, remain curious and be eager to learn. This is a safe and wonderful place for you to explore.

What would it take for you to ignite curiosity about your team? What can you learn from them? What insights could they offer on your current project that you hadn't thought about?

Let me know what you learn by emailing me or leaving a comment below.