How many times have you sat in a meeting and an employee’s performance comes into question? Are you the first to jump on the judgment bandwagon? Do you allow the conversation to snowball into a rant of opinions and negativity? Or are you the courageous one who is willing to ask questions? Are you the leader who is curious and wants to know more about the current situation?
Curiosity is a strong desire to know more.
It’s your need to seek to understand. I have found that people are too quick to jump to false conclusions. They like to make judgments without asking questions. When you are curious you will earn respect and trust from your followers. It will show that you have their best interest in mind. Curious leaders are empathetic because they choose to understand a situation before they react.
When an employee who is not meeting expectations comes into question take the right steps to understand his/her life circumstances. Ask questions that will help you understand the whole picture. Be curious about what might be going on in his/her life outside of the work environment. Express genuine interest in the individuality of the person to determine if his/her personal values align with the organizational culture.
As a leader, you have a responsibility to seek to understand by being curious.
You must be self-aware and willing to challenge your own assumptions. As a result, curiosity will help you to make better decisions, build deeper relationships, and discover the unknown.
When you start with a judgmental mindset you will assume the worst about someone. You will make false assumptions that are imagined realities. As a curious leader facing unique challenges ask relevant questions. So, listen to your people and set the right mood for constructive conversations.
Curious leaders start with an open mind because they know there is always something they do not understand, and they seek to learn.
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