Inspiration Sparks Curiosity – Do You Have What it Takes to be Curious
Feb 26 2022 Business Coaching MotivationIs it possible for some people to be born curious? Can curiosity be nurtured? Because curiosity is essential for innovation, the answer is important. You must bring curiosity to your colleagues if it isn’t natural.
To harness the power of curiosity, you must see everything as half-full. We believe that curiosity can be awakened within anyone. There are 8 ways to do it.
Active engagement with an idea is the mark of genuine curiosity. It motivates people to do something beyond a passing curiosity. A spark of curiosity can be activated in one or more of the two traditional ways. This is drive which considers curiosity as a natural urge, similar to thirst and sex. Incongruity When we see something incongruous in the world, it sparks curiosity and prompts us to ask why.
We have all known people who are always curious. We also know people whose curiosity is difficult to get excited about any topic. There are many reasons why people resist exploring new ideas. Many people may view new ideas as a threat or to their goals, which could limit their willingness to explore. Too many companies don’t reward curiosity or model leadership. Fear is a motivator too – fear of technical knowledge, fear that no-one will listen, fear your big idea might make work more difficult. Why not think outside the box?
This is how to overcome resistance and inspire curiosity among collaborators.
1. Recognise that this is your job. Your leadership is key to success or failure on the path of transformation.
2. Personalise your approach. Consider a school teacher whose job is to stimulate curiosity in all students. Teachers believe that every student has the potential to be
3. Modify the way that you present information. It is much easier for most people to respond to stimuli like concept illustrations than to start from scratch. Some people are more excited by data than others. Some people read and reflect, others observe and discuss. Try out different ways to present information and get feedback from collaborators.
4. Hire the curious. Asking questions such as “Tell me about a moment when you pursued curiosity” is a good idea. What did you do with the knowledge you gained to help your business achieve its goals? Find out the end result by probing.
Don’t feel discouraged if you are feeling stuck in an existing team. A few standout hires or one energetic partner can help a group get moving again.
5. Try standing desks. It’s a great way to stimulate your creativity. It is not a good idea to sit in one place all day.
6. Be curious. Don’t just encourage curiosity. For example, hold a one-hour lunchtime session where all employees discuss cultural trends that they have observed over the past 24 hours. External participants are welcome. These sessions encourage curiosity and make staff aware of changes in the outside world. Spending an hour each day to cultivate curiosity is a worthwhile investment. Structured conversations help clients with blue-chip status to identify opportunities. They define trends and apply them. This is how you create real business impact.
7. Honor the curious. A trophy of recognition to a team or the individual who contributed the most to advancing the goals and showed leadership. This is meant to inject levity into an environment that can be hard-charging and celebrate curiosity.
8. Be a leader. Use consumer insights, competitor data, and market data as part of the to your advantage. This information encourages exploration, questions, and submissions of business plans.
9. Why should I be curious about this? Consider a time you were approached by someone with a new idea. Your first reaction, often unconscious, was how confident you were in the person who expressed a new idea to you. A person who is trustworthy and has a good reputation will feel comfortable working with you.
It is important to convince others that your ideas are worthy of attention and that they should follow your lead. Are there career and psychic rewards to engaging with your idea? Answering the question “What’s in It for Me?” might be the ultimate source of inspiration and curiosity.
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