Curiosity: The Gateway Competency

Consider the following scenarios: Mia is always energized by her interactions with customers. Every conversation yields an insight she can’t wait to do something about.

Because of his genuine interest in learning more about his staff, Ty uncovers an employee’s passion for solving puzzles and is able to adjust her job responsibilities to include troubleshooting customer problems.

Juan’s favorite word is “why.” He can’t get through a conversation without digging into why people do what they do, why things work as they do and why the organization conducts business as it does. Sometimes others can answer his questions and sometimes they can’t. But this always inspires a lively conversation about how to improve the way things get done.

Strip away the details of each of these situations, and at the core is a leader demonstrating curiosity — about customers, employees and work itself.

The notion that a spirit of inquiry is important to leadership success isn’t new. Curiosity is one of the top five character strengths identified by positive psychology researchers Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson most closely linked to fulfillment and happiness. Todd Kashdan seconds this in his book, Curious?: Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life. Rod Kurtz, guest lecturer at Wharton, said, “Insatiable curiosity is a key to great leadership.” And in his research-based book, The Corner Office, Adam Bryant identified passionate curiosity as one of the five essentials for executive success.

But here’s the little secret nobody’s talking about — curiosity is a gateway competency. It provides the basis from which employees can respond to the complexity and changeability of today’s global workplace, and it allows leaders to deliver bottom-line business results.

Gateway to Other Critical Competencies
Curiosity may be the most helpful competency in business today. Start with genuine inquisitiveness, a bias toward asking and learning, and an authentic interest in others and what they might have to share and there’s no limit to a leader’s potential.