Curiosity - Root of leadership thinking

I have long believed that rebellion is the seed of enlightenment. The drive to throw off the mantle of familiarity and precedent is a drive to see the world anew. Doubt, healthy skepticism, and the power of discernment are important traits on the path to clear and present attention. This rebellion is a leadership stance that holds the future as unfettered by the past.

At the heart of healthy rebellion is Curiosity - a mental posture of inquisitiveness, a thirst for knowledge, an inquiring mind, in a word open-mindedness. Approaching an opportunity, person, or project with curiosity means approaching with wonderment, marvel and even awe. It means approaching it with innocence and a willingness to learn not merely to categorize.

Those who bear the title leader but lack curiosity suffer from psychosclerosis, a hardening of the mind. Curiosity is the exercise of psychoelasticity, mental flexibility and youthful potential. When we are curious we practice experiencing reality as it is, not as it was or could have been, or will be or should be. Curiosity, the thirst for understanding and clarity, means being open to what is really going on apart from the veils and filters of our mental projections.

I encourage leaders to remain curious through questions such as: "Is this really what's going on?" "What is another way of seeing/hearing/feeling this?" "Can there be more?" "What if I defer my conclusions?"

My coaching practice is heavily weighted toward curiosity. My executive clients are smart, mature, competent leaders. What they need is more options and clarity, not merely information. Leaders who take this same approach with their strong performers find that results accelerate with questions faster than they do with answers. Try it!