12 min read
In our journey of understanding and harnessing the power of curiosity, we’ve often stopped at the surface — asking questions but not always digging deeper. It’s akin to scratching the surface of a vast, unexplored continent full of potential and undiscovered truths. Next, we’ll explore what it means to go beyond the initial question by delving into persistent inquiry, critical analysis, and the profound impact these deeper explorations can have on our personal and professional lives.
Exploring Layers Through Persistent Inquiry
Imagine an onion. On the surface, it’s just a bulb. But as you peel each layer, more of its essence is revealed. Similarly, questions have layers. The first question, often based on initial observations or immediate thoughts, is the outer layer. But to truly understand a subject, we need to peel back these layers and ask follow-up questions that go deeper into the ‘why’ and ‘how.’ Peeling back is a search for answers and an exploration of understanding, leading us down paths we might not have considered, but that may have greater insight and answers than we ever imagined.
Here, the 5 Whys framework becomes an essential tool. By asking ‘Why?’ five times in succession, we can methodically uncover the underlying cause or core of a problem or situation. Each ‘Why?’ builds upon the last, guiding us to deeper levels of understanding and revealing connections that might otherwise remain obscured.
However, according to the Harvard Business Review, this deeper exploration faces a significant challenge in the fast-paced environment of modern workplaces. Leaders concerned about efficiency and risk management may inadvertently stifle such in-depth curiosity. Yet, when properly integrated, the 5 Whys framework can enhance problem-solving and innovation without disrupting efficiency. The necessary task for leaders is to find a balance and encourage a culture of inquiry that allows for this type of exploration within the constraints of the work environment.
Setting aside dedicated time for deep reflection, asking questions like ‘Why?’, ‘What if…?’ and ‘How might we…?’, can create a space where deeper inquiry is possible and productive. This approach helps align the pursuit of in-depth understanding with the organization’s operational goals, thus leveraging curiosity to drive innovation and adaptability in uncertain market conditions.
For example, my marketing agency recently celebrated our fifteenth year in business. That milestone alone can lead to a sense of having arrived. But were we efficient enough? Were we adding value with every project? Where could we improve? By being curious and never leaving well enough alone, we have continued to evolve to be better tomorrow than we are today. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities of an organization that it can be difficult to pause, reflect and dig deep to clarify where we might improve.
Fortunately, we decided to do just that. This reflection led us to understand where our team could improve and what we collectively needed to do our best work. Ultimately, we learned that it was important to do two things:
- Create clear and inclusive company-wide goals that relate directly to our team’s day-to-day tasks.
- Ensure we set aside time to every one to invest and grow in their skills sets.
Without taking time to reflect and go beyond the immediate, we would run the risk in getting caught in “busy paralysis” and never step out of the hustle and bustle to deliver the marketing that truly matters to our clients.
As you can see, inquiry is not only about asking questions; it’s about how we ask them and the environment we cultivate for these questions to thrive. It’s a delicate balance between the pursuit of depth and the practicalities of workplace dynamics, one that requires thoughtful consideration and strategic implementation.
Pro-Tip: Resist jumping to conclusions without peeling back every layer of questions.
Critical Thinking and Analysis
Curiosity is the fuel that powers critical thinking. It’s not enough to merely ask a question; we must also critically analyze the answers we receive. This means not taking things at face value, questioning underlying assumptions, and being open to different perspectives. Critical thinking in the realm of curiosity is about understanding the context, the nuances, and the implications of the answers we seek. It’s about seeing the bigger picture and connecting the dots to form a more comprehensive understanding of the subject.
Please read my article, Everything Before “But” is Bull$#*t (and Other Curiosity Killers), to learn more about expert fallacy and how to counteract those types of curiosity-killing questions.
Emotional Intelligence and Empathy
As I have discussed in previous articles, emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions and to recognize, understand, and engage with the feelings of others. Emotional intelligence deeply connects with empathy — the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes and understand their feelings and perspectives. In the realm of curiosity, these emotional skills are vital for several reasons.
- Enhanced Understanding of People: Curiosity drives us to learn more about others, and emotional intelligence and empathy provide the tools to do so effectively. EQ and empathy allow us to ask meaningful questions and understand the answers on a deeper, more emotional level. This is not just about acquiring knowledge but building emotional connections with another person or in a group.
- Improved Communication: Emotional intelligence involves being aware of the dynamics in a conversation, whether through unspoken body language or the tone and timbre of someone’s response. Curiosity, fueled by this awareness, leads to more thoughtful questions. This communication style focuses less on interrogation and more on mutual understanding of the other person’s perspective.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
– Maya Angelou.
- Better Leadership and Influence: As I explored in Additive Curiosity, leaders with high emotional intelligence and a curious mindset are in a much better position to inspire and motivate their teams. They understand their team members’ individual and unique motivations, challenges, and strengths, leading to a more empathetic and effective leadership style. In turn, this creates greater influence for the leaders.
- Conflict Resolution: Combined with empathy, curiosity is a powerful tool in resolving misunderstandings and conflicts. By genuinely seeking to understand the emotions and perspectives of others, we can find common ground and solutions that respect everyone’s needs and feelings, seek first to understand.
- Personal Growth and Self-Reflection: Emotional intelligence also involves understanding oneself, which I believe is its highest form of existence. A curious approach to our emotions and reactions leads to greater self-awareness. Through this self-awareness and introspection, we can actively choose who we want to be and how we want to show up while examining and challenging our biases and assumptions.
- Fostering Inclusive Environments: An empathetic and curious mindset is crucial for creating inclusive spaces. By being genuinely interested in diverse perspectives and experiences and understanding them on an emotional level, we can build more inclusive communities and workplaces.
Emotional intelligence and empathy complement curiosity and are integral to practical and ethical applications.
Curiosity in Problem-Solving
In a world that demands innovation and daily problem-solving, asking the right questions is often more important than having immediate answers.
Looking beyond the surface layer that an initial question opens up can give us new avenues for innovation. “Out of the box thinking” and “what got us here, won’t get us there” statements scream an urgent need to dig in rather than fall victim to the trap of quick answers.
By persistently questioning, we can uncover solutions that might have remained hidden had we not dared to explore. Remember – questions cannot be interrogations. A delicate balance of persistence and tact can be required to dig in when the team around you faces pressure, exhaustion, or both. You can more easily avoid these potential landmines by fine-tuning your emotional intelligence and empathy.
Pro-Tip: Check out “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni to understand trust’s role in setting your team up for success.
The Role of Persistence in Curiosity
Persistence is the heartbeat of curiosity. It’s more than just posing a question; it involves a passionate pursuit of answers, often leading us down a labyrinth of further inquiries. This journey is rarely straightforward; it’s an intricate dance between discovery and inquiry, full of unexpected twists and sometimes enlightening turns.
Curiosity truly means embracing the unknown and persisting even when answers seem elusive and time is not on your side. The true gold is found in the process of curiosity, where the fourth or fifth question could have never existed if it wasn’t for what you learned in questions one or two. By being tenacious and patient (two terms that often do not exist in the same playbook), you can reach profound breakthroughs needed to succeed.
Stay Curious!