Having a closed-minded mentality can be dangerous, and it typically occurs when leaders think they have all the answers. These leaders are driven by their egos. They do not seek connections or new perspectives and are threatened by others, especially when faced with real challenges.

 In The Business Case for Curiosity, Harvard Business School’s Francesca Gino wrote, “[C]uriosity allows leaders to gain more respect from their followers and inspires employees to develop more-trusting and more-collaboriative relationships with colleagues.” Those findings are supported by Gallup’s 2023 Guide to Engaging and Retaining Employees, which states that employees want motivating leaders who care about them as people, focus on their well-being, and communicate with them clearly and consistently. 

While curiosity is a human trait, some people are more naturally curious than others, and not everyone is curious about the same things. The good news is that you can learn to become more curious.

The leadership benefits of a curious mind. 

The benefits of cultivating your curiosity — looking beyond existing information, expanding your thoughts, and formulating more questions — are far-reaching. Specifically, curiosity:

• Improves self-awareness and emotional intelligence. A willingness to look within and self-reflect, a desire to understand others, and an interest in observing your external environment help you gain clarity about yourself and the world around you. Cultivating curiosity means being open to learning, willing to listen, and ready to expand your view of self and the environment. 
• Prevents you from becoming outdated and ultimately obsolete. The world is continuously changing. In response, leaders need to be current, pivot quickly, and respond to the needs of their employees, the market, and world events. To succeed, you must have a curious mind and a relationship-driven organization that prioritizes open communication. If you are uninterested in learning new things or being open to other viewpoints and unwilling to look within, you will naturally be left behind. 
• Creates better connections and builds relationships.Humans connect when we communicate openly and demonstrate a genuine interest in one another. Whether you are interested in someone’s work, their happiness, or what they had for breakfast, your authentic curiosity will engage them and grow deeper, more fulfilling relationships. 
• Expands your intelligence, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Gaining new knowledge enhances your intelligence and engages your creativity. If you are open to new ideas and opinions, you will be in a position to widen your perspective and find a solution for even the most challenging problems.
• Releases dopamine. Curiosity opens your mind. At that moment, dopamine, a feel-good pleasure hormone and neurotransmitter, is released in your brain, reinforcing the good feeling curiosity brings. Curiosity fuels more curiosity, heightening your awareness and knowledge base, creating more fulfilling relationships, and keeping you current. 

Your curiosity creates a satisfying state of mind, even if the information you discover is unhelpful or negative because the result of being curious is still positive: You learned something.

How to enhance and grow your curiosity. 

Cultivating your curiosity benefits you in all aspects of life, particularly in your role as a leader. Good leaders are interested in learning about and from others as they seek to expand their knowledge and connect more deeply. While some people are born curious, others need to be more intentional about developing their curiosity. 

Start by asking a question, whether of yourself or another person. For example, ask yourself what else you want to know about a particular topic or individual. What facts or opinions would add to your understanding? What are you missing? Who can give you another perspective or more information?

If you’re asking someone else and wish to build that connection, be present and actively listen during the interaction. No one wants to communicate with a know-it-all who is uninterested in hearing their response.

Approach these interactions from a relational perspective, seeking to connect and understand the other person. Your curiosity will naturally peak, and you will create a sense of psychological safety for the other person, making the experience more positive and productive for both of you. 

Remember that when you ask a question of another person, two people having the interaction. Be respectful of the person, their circumstances, and how you are coming across. Don’t overstep by asking questions to pry, judge, or interrogate. In such instances, your curiosity will be experienced as an intrusion, not a connection. 

It is never too late to be curious-minded. You will grow your emotional intelligence, gain new information, become more connected to others, and your organization will thrive, benefiting from the exploration and inquiries derived from your curiosity.

©Copyright 2022 Debra Roberts, LCSW All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

 A version of this article was initially published on Inc.com as: Curiosity Is One of the Most Valuable Traits You Can Employ as a Leader