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Today more than ever, there is a virtual “leadership lab” of learning activities and opportunities available to help you build your leadership skills and refine your coaching mindset. There is a treasure trove of knowledge about leadership at your fingertips, literally. But there is more to learn than just what you can read and watch on the Internet.
Try these two strategies to cultivate your curiosity.
Ask questions.
Questions are the quickest way to learn and grow. Tap back into that childhood curiosity with which we were born. Start with two simple questions.
Can you tell me more? Most people are not as thorough in their replies as the curious mind requires, so ask others to share more about the topic or situation to help you paint a more complete picture.
Why? Consider the number of times you heard your child ask why, why, why? This question gets to the heart of a child and a deeper understanding. Why did we get that result? Why does this process have these steps? Why are we doing project X this way? Why does this matter for the organization? Why does it take X days to complete this task? Why are we measuring this?
Seek novelty.
Humans are novelty-seeking, and our brains enjoy novelty. It is good for us and helps us create new neural connections. So, try something for the first time; explore new experiences. Consider peppering your life with some high-excitement activities to spice things up. For some, this may be sky diving or bungy jumping, but you can also reach new heights on the ground.
Consider things that stretch you like:
- taking an improv or painting class;
- hiking a new park in your areas;
- learning a new sport (we started playing pickleball recently); or,
- trying a new recipe.
Even games can infuse novelty into your day. One of our family favorites is Catch Phrase, a fast-paced game that combines verbal cues with a hot potato-like timer.
Watch for our new book, Healthy Leadership: How to Lead so Everyone Thrives.