To be a great leader, you must possess various qualities. No one leader is the same, but they all have similar aspects about them that brought them to their current position. These aspects include courage, dedication, ambition, and more. However, one of the most important aspects of leadership is curiosity. Curiosity keeps leaders on their toes, ready to embrace change and growth. Covid-19 especially has brought out more and more questions from businesses and consumers; many leaders were forced to be inquisitive and make big decisions very fast. Below, we will discuss why curiosity is such an essential leadership trait, as featured in an article on Forbes.
Curiosity can sometimes be a challenging skill for individuals. Sometimes leaders rise to the top and stop asking questions because they assume they know the answer to everything. Questioning yourself and your practices consistently can be very beneficial, as long as it is not overdone to the point of being anxiety-inducing. Sometimes people are afraid of the honest answers and discoveries they will make by asking tough questions. Overcoming this fear is tremendous and shows excellent courage from someone who will be a fearless leader.
Curiosity is so important that it should be a core value for your entire company. It is extremely important to have a company culture that values people first and integrity. When there is a disconnect between the words that come from the leadership team and their actions, this can lead to employees who are disengaged and a very toxic work culture throughout the entire company. A true leader leads by example, and they should always align their own actions with the expectations they set for their team. This is also why it is important to ask questions about your leadership and the operations, so nothing comes as a surprise when an issue is brought up.
Lastly, curiosity inspires creative thinking and innovation among your team. Fear of rejection, fear of reprisal is what holds team members from fully exploring their creative potential. Curiosity is transformative and can unlock astonishing results when executed with freedom. When curiosity is allowed, everything from product development to team collaboration to customer service improves and enhances.