As we look out today at the business community, we observe organizations that are anchored in well-defined structures of hierarchy, policies, standards, procedures – law and order if you will. The focus tends to be on good “order” and adherence. Employee behavior tends to be guided. These characteristics are of course necessary, but may dampen innovation and thinking outside the box. Which begs the question: Is your organization curious?
Leonardo da Vinci defined curiosity as “an insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning.” Of course, we all come into this world curious. Our children constantly ask “Why?” Last week, my six-year-old grandson Johnny asked me “Why don’t adults smile more?” How is that for great insight?
It has been said that the learning is in the questions. Davinci stated, “The quest for knowledge opened the door to freedom.” Pretty heavy stuff!
In our age of sound bites, contemplation, reflection and dreaming of possibilities is becoming a lost art. We are all busy, thus our attention span grows shorter and interest in questioning why things are done suffers. When is the last time your organization (employees) asked the insightful question, “What if?”
Cicero stated, “Curiosity is a passion for learning.” To me, curiosity can be defined as the pursuit, desire, thirst or need for knowledge.
As organizations are challenged by ever-changing market conditions, and employees are being asked to work harder and longer, companies need to solicit new ideas and ways to do things. Do your employees view the company as a learning (curious) organization?
Of course, routine is indeed a necessity, but it can also be a killer of creativity. Find ways to make work meaningful. At the end of a staff meeting, ask the question, “What did we learn from this session?” Set aside time in each meeting for crazy ideas, suggestions, time to ask why! Curiosity makes the work and people interesting.
Once the organization believes in the leadership, it will risk being curious, and show wonder, spontaneous creative juices and yes, experience, the essence of the human spirit.
Curious employees “lead” the organization to doing the right things, building the right relationships and designing the right products. Now is the time to dramatically reduce the pull from the past. The future belongs to innovation and change.
Empower the dreamers and disarm the reactionaries! Give power to employees whose emotional equity is focused on the future rather than the past, and aid the company in its journey toward curiosity – which is free from preconceived notions. (We have all heard that is the way we have always done it, or we tried that years ago and it didn’t work.) So much for an open mind.
I really love this quote from Albert Einstein: “It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.” The same can be said of policies or leaders who discourage being questioned by employees at all levels of the organization. Yes, the janitor has ideas. Seek them out!
Ponder this: Can you paint a picture where curiosity plays a major role in defining your organization?
The learning organization of the 21st century must be willing to demonstrate a true commitment to gain knowledge through experience, persistence, developing its people, listening, making difficult changes and a willingness to learn from its mistakes.
Curiosity fans the flame of inspiration, which taps into the creative side (right brain) and opens the flow of ideas! It is exciting to think about the power of human potential.
The watchwords in the industry today are "continuous improvement." Doing more with less and exceeding the expectations of the customer is a tall order to say the least. In life, we all are taught to conform (remember your first grade teacher?). I spent four years in the United States Air Force, where conforming was necessary and desirable. In the corporate world, conforming to good business practices should be a given. Ethics, mutual respect, safe work environments, producing quality products that meet safety standards, abiding by government regulations, etc. are clearly appropriate.
The quest is to enforce proper corporate behavior and at the same time, unleash the power of curiosity!
Busy lives and job responsibilities tend to drive us toward hard conclusions and measurable results, but may detract from exploratory, free flowing and creative thought. Freedom to question the status quo frees up the boundless energy of the human potential!
