Why Cultivating Curiosity at Work Powers Success & Innovation

As a manager, Paul challenges people to grow and innovate. To do so, he often gives others a chance to learn and try new things. That’s because he recognizes it pays to cultivate curiosity. If you were talking to Paul about why he makes fostering inquisitiveness a priority, he might offer any or all of the explanations in this article.

We need ingenuity, creativity, and critical thinking to power future innovation and success. In an article making the business case for curiosity, Harvard professor Francesca Gino writes, “maintaining a sense of wonder is crucial to creativity and innovation. The most effective leaders look for ways to nurture their employees’ curiosity to fuel learning and discovery.”

The counterargument to curiosity

In Gino’s research, 70% of the 3,000 respondents across industries said “they face barriers to asking more questions at work.”

After all, some leaders see encouraging questions and exploration as detrimental. Their arguments often include:

Employees asking questions can undermine managerial authority
Exploration can increase risk exposure
Considering different avenues and approaches wastes time and makes people inefficient

Obviously, a manager like Paul would disagree. The following section presents the reasoning in favor of triggering curiosity.

Powerful benefits from fostering curiosity

Inviting employee curiosity offers several advantages, especially in a work world that is evolving at an ever-more rapid pace.

Offers more creative solutions

A spirit of inquiry gets your employees more deeply engaged in a discussion, process, or problem-solving effort. By being willing to spend some time looking at something from all angles, you could come up with a truly creative and more effective approach. After all, doing the same old, the same way, every time is anathema to the innovation that can differentiate the market leaders from the rest.

Encourages deeper thinking

Curiosity often comes in conjunction with critical thinking. When someone’s interest is piqued they think more deeply about that topic or issue. This is particularly useful because it can counter confirmation bias (where we simply look for the answers that tell us what we expected).

Taking a new course, trying a new tool, reading a book, and looking to learn something new all challenge us to develop fresh ways of thinking. As understanding expands, employees are more likely to abandon their silos and look more favorably on alternative ways of thinking. They can also link disparate ideas more effectively, which could lead to an original breakthrough otherwise missed.

Fosters collaboration

Asking questions is part of learning more about something and engaging with a topic. Sure, we can often easily find answers online today. But, someone who is truly curious is more likely to seek out other people’s insights and look for experts in the organization.

Plus, someone who is curious is often a better listener because they are interested in what other people have to say. Active listening can help someone learn but also expand their perspectives and open up to a more inclusive, diverse environment. This helps builds trust and respect between team members.

Supports adaptation

The creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration that come with curiosity also position people for resilience. A Duke University study found those who are curious can be more patient with uncertainty because they want to know the resolution. People who view tough situations with curiosity are also less likely to be stressed by challenges and have proven to be less defensive when questioned or offered constructive criticism.

Additionally, curiosity often comes alongside empathy, which is “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.” Empathy can help senior leaders to understand what is important to employees and adapt their strategies to better support them.

Curiosity and empathy help colleagues to collaborate and connect better. They also support employees in their interactions with customers or vendors. Whether its in a healthcare setting, a call center or a credit union, trying to understand the client or customer from an authentic human perspective is likely to resonate a lot more than simply following a predetermined playbook.

Builds morale

The curious employee is more engaged and self-motivated at work. They’re also typically more connected with others. Plus, when people feel they have the freedom to think more deeply about an issue and take risks, they generally feel more respected. This all supports employee morale.

Take 3M. Its 15% culture gives employees free time to pursue their own interests instead of focusing exclusively on performance targets and deadlines. This initiative recognizes the power of tapping into the human enthusiasm for learning new things and pursuing personal passions.

Boosts self-awareness

Being able to ask why questions and pursue them fully is a hallmark of effective self-reflection. Curious employees may seek out feedback from others. They’re not just curious about processes, policies, and problems. They can be inquisitive about their own accomplishments, shortcomings, and how they can improve and grow. This curiosity about self can improve their performance at work.

Now, the obvious question is, how can you foster curiosity among your employees? That’s covered in a companion piece to this article. Check it out.

If you’re curious what your employees think of the idea of offering them free time to explore their own interests or other planned changes, partner with Sogolytics to get the answers.