CURIOSITY MIGHT HAVE killed the cat, but it’s the only thing that can keep leaders alive in today’s world. And I’m not talking about polite, tea party curiosity, either. I’m talking about CURIOSITY! Curiosity on steroids. Flaming, no-holds-barred fascination with OPT—other people’s thoughts.
Why has curiosity become the new vitamin C for leaders? Because digital technology has created a video game-like economy that causes market conditions to mutate in ways that can’t be anticipated. This blurring collision of variables creates a future far too complex for any one brain to comprehend.
So how can you tell if you’re getting enough of this new kind of vitamin C to maintain healthy leadership practices, both for yourself and your critical teams? Three sure signs of a curiosity deficiency are:
- A single person—typically it’s the CEO—emotionally dominates the group. This domination can be positive or negative. He or she can be a “heroic tyrant,” causing everyone else to just listen in awed, respectful silence. Or, the dominant leader can be an old-fashioned bully.
- Leadership teams don’t want to meet. For whatever reason—and there can be many; poor session structure; personality clashes, etc.—such teams consider meetings a waste of time.
- Conflict avoidance. Again, there can be many causes, ranging from an overly “nice” organizational culture to fear of punishment.
Whatever the cause, the CEO is always the best person to fix it. Leaders wishing to insure an adequate dose of curiosity vitamin C need to make sure they’re not dominating their teams, whether heroically or abusively.
Those who find themselves subordinate to a domineering leader must first determine if they’re willing to confront the leader. If so, the next step is to identify ways to do it. Brainstorming with others can help.
How can you tell if you’re getting enough of this vitamin C? Notice how “surprising” your meetings are. The future is now one big surprise, and those who think they can figure out how to prepare for it on their own can’t. Good meetings are full of surprises, because they expose unexpected ideas.
The wonderful thing about curiosity is that it makes everyone smarter. When someone asks probing questions of me, questions I really have to think about, they bring out intelligence I didn’t know I had.
How much intelligence do you have that you don’t know about? A lot, I can promise you that. If you want to tap it, surround yourself with people who aren’t afraid to ask you challenging questions.
How much intelligence do your work teams have that they don’t know about? Exponentially more. If you want to help them discover it, set the example by getting really curious yourself about what they think.
And, of course, you will want to help your colleagues discover what they don’t know if you want to be the best leader you can be. Take your vitamin C.
Tags: Curiosity, Executive Coaching, leadership
May 6, 2010 at 8:57 pm |
great summary; thanks!
….would enjoy more info on how to work under an old fashion bully type leader…..
May 13, 2010 at 12:12 am |
Curiosity on steroids! I love it. A large part of this curiosity to me has to be supported by large doses of selflessness and vulnerability on the part of the leadership team, particularly the CEO. Selflessness is required, because it really is not about you. It is about the company, the clients, the employees, the industry, and the community, and the results achieved on behalf of each and all. Leaders must realize that true success on any level is a long-term thriving and flourishing organization that continually strives to hit on all cylinders. Vulnerability is required to stir the pot of discussion, questioning, and more informed and collaborative decision making. It takes courage and strength to admit what you don’t know publicly. Vulnerability is a key to making the curiosity authentic.