As important as hard skills and intelligence are to performance, I've found that soft skills and behaviors, like curiosity, can be even more critical. In fact, in analyzing a number of studies, researchers found that the predictive effect of intellectual curiosity rivals the influence of intelligence.
Curiosity: A Workplace Asset
Another study, done on curiosity in social situations, has linked the behavior to greater tolerance, noncritical attitudes, unconventional thinking and a sense of humor. Curiosity can help people to cope better, handle unwanted emotions and accept conflict by recognizing contradictory information. The study's lead researcher, Todd Kashdan, explained, "Curious people are less likely to prematurely commit to initial ideas and perspectives. In fact, there is evidence that the need for structure and cognitive closure are not only inversely related to curiosity, but reside at the other end of the continuum."
A recent cover story from the Harvard Business Review detailed how curiosity leads to fewer decision-making errors, more innovation, reduced group conflict, better communication and enhanced team performance. Curious individuals are better at handling social rejection and more likely to practice empathy. And they have lower levels of social anxiety and stronger interpersonal relationships.
Curiosity also leads to innovation and new concepts. "We become better at seeing connections between seemingly disparate ideas, boosting our capacity for creativity," Kashdan writes. "It is the neurological equivalent of personal growth. New pathways in the brain are inevitable when you seek out new information and experiences and integrate them into the previously known."
Now that we know how important curiosity is, it is equally as critical to know how to boost it. The first step is to determine what stops curiosity.
Four Factors That Inhibit Curiosity
There are four factors that inhibit curiosity, which are fear, assumptions (that voice in your head), technology and your environment. I developed an assessment called the Curiosity Code Index that helps determine the factors that hold us back from exploring curiosity. Without having to take the assessment, individuals can also ask themselves a series of questions. Do you fear that you might look unprepared? Do you avoid asking questions that you think will make you look stupid? Do you automatically assume that you might not like something or that it will be too difficult? Do you over or under rely on technology in your daily routine? Finally, consider the impact your family, friends, co-workers, leaders, teachers and even social media have had on whether you feel comfortable exploring new areas. Once you can determine what holds you back, you can create an action plan.
How To Foster More Curiosity
There are simple things you can do daily to improve your curiosity and inspire curiosity in others.
Ask more questions. Research found that 85% of C-suite executives across 17 countries believed that their organizations were bad at diagnosing problems. The result? Managers seek out solutions before fully understanding the problem. Discovery is critical for organizations to grow, become competitive and thrive. Encourage others to ask "dumb questions" by modeling that you are not afraid to ask things you do not know. By setting an example, you can create a culture of curiosity that filters down from the top. That will, in turn, help cultivate the talent you seek and help you to get at the root of business challenges.
Expand your mind. Seek out insights in different areas from your usual interest, associate with others who know things you do not and spend time in a physical library. Some of the best lessons can be learned by doing things that make you uncomfortable. There is no better way to improve your sense of fear than by demonstrating your capabilities.
Stop punishing failure. Instead, reward the lessons learned. Leaders need to see value in the process of learning. Some of the greatest inventions came from exploration. If leaders can stop punishing for failures, they might find that failures teach them what problems to avoid the next time. In other words, you can turn your failures into successes!
