Curiosity is an Essential Trait for Success

When I was hiring team members, one of the most important interview questions came at the very end. “Do you have any questions for me?” was more than a courtesy; it was a way to see how a candidate’s mind worked.

If a candidate didn’t ask any questions, it was a red flag for me. I value curiosity, and I expected the best potential hires to be intensely curious about the job, their new team, the company’s values – everything that will affect their daily lives for the next few years. If they showed no curiosity, it made me wonder how committed they’d be to learning and improving performance over time

Curiosity plays an essential role in delivering exceptional customer service.  Home improvement stores are a good place to see this principle in action. When a customer comes in asking for a part or product, a good associate will lead them to what they asked. A great associate will ask what they’re going to be using it for. (Especially if it’s not in stock.) It’s possible that there’s a better, less costly, or easier solution available. Or that what they’ve asked for won’t work at all. Think of the time, money, and frustration that could be saved just by asking a couple of questions. You can apply this principle to every industry.

In a Harvard Business Review article, Francesca Gino makes the case that most business innovation comes from curiosity. “What if” has always been one of my favorite questions to ask. It can be a force for creativity – and for destruction. Sometimes you have to break something so you can put it back together to make it work better.

What if we added this feature? What if we gave our customers control over the process? What if we allowed our employees to make the decision without asking a manager? What if we eliminated this form that our clients hate and always takes two tries to get right?

Francesca Gino says uncertainty generates curiosity, I agree that curiosity is one response; I’ve also seen a lot of people react to uncertainty by digging in and sticking even more firmly to their previous beliefs. I definitely prefer to manage people who get curious when no one is sure what will happen next.

Leaders often say they value curiosity because they associate it with creativity and agility, but Gino says her research doesn’t support their claims.  She writes, “although leaders might say they treasure inquisitive minds, in fact most stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency. In a survey I conducted of more than 3,000 employees from a wide range of firms and industries, only about 24% reported feeling curious in their jobs on a regular basis, and about 70% said they face barriers to asking more questions at work.”

Curious employees ask questions. They ask their coworkers how to handle problems or how to do their work faster or better. They challenge processes they don’t understand, which can lead to more effective instructions, better training  –  or better processes.

Answering questions takes time and patience. If you’re a parent, it may trigger memories of your young child’s endless “why?” conversations. But curiosity is an important indicator and builder of intelligence. Psychologists have studied curiosity in children and adults for years. In one study, highly curious children aged three to 11 improved their intelligence test scores by 12 points more than their least-curious counterparts did. Psychology students who felt more curious than others during their first class enjoyed lectures more, got higher final grades, and later enrolled in more courses in the discipline.

If you’re not curious about your job, your field, or the people you serve, it may be a sign that you’re burned out. Finding a way to reconnect with your curiosity will improve your performance and your satisfaction with your work.  If you simply can’t get curious about what you do or the people you serve, it may be time to move on to a field that stimulates you to ask questions again.