Why Curiosity Is Critical To Building Relationships?
HR PEOPLE + STRATEGY
We all know curiosity is what leads scientists to make discoveries that alter lives, and entrepreneurs to innovate to tap new markets. Most organizations facing an increasingly competitive marketplace are focused on hiring curious leaders to tackle the challenge of identifying opportunities for creating new “blue ocean strategies.”1 These leaders demonstrate curiosity at a far deeper level than others, and it is manifested through persistent questioning of the status quo and by challenging deeply held beliefs and assumptions. They seek to intimately understand the consumer to uncover an unmet need they can address to achieve a strategic advantage over their competitors. Curiosity is what drives them to inquire, hypothesize, and test new ideas. It is such an innate skill they don’t understand how to operate any differently when solving business problems.
As an executive coach, I am curious why the same level of curiosity used in solving business problems isn’t used in building relationships with peers, bosses, and team members. Ultimately, the success of any innovation effort requires the effective utilization of influence. To influence and manifest the results desired, an important skill is the ability to use curiosity to learn more about the interests, concerns, and positions of others.
