Workplace wins: the power of curiosity
We all make assumptions all the time.
The more you listen out for them, the more you hear.
We believe we have all the information we need to safely make a decision, draw a conclusion or make a judgement, and off we go.
It seldom ends well, whether the assumption is positive or negative.
The antidote? Curiosity.
Ask questions, listen to the answers. Then draw conclusions.
Some of the most common workplace assumptions:
That someone is choosing not to work hard
That everyone has the same skills and experience that you have
That something is obvious
That you’ve provided enough information and clear enough instructions
That what you communicated was heard and understood the way you intended it
That people dislike you or think you’re no good at your job
That you know what someone else intended.
The consequences of making assumptions at work can be serious.
A lack of curiosity can quickly lead to:
Deteriorating relationships and communication
The absence of creative thinking, innovation and risk-taking
A less solutions-based approach
Lower levels of employee retention.
“Put a sticky or reminder on your computer that says “Be curious, ask questions”
- you’ll be amazed how well it works!”
How to make better use of curiosity
One technique is to catch an assumption - that an employee is lazy, for example - and then make yourself come up with twenty-one alternative explanations. Maybe they are lazy.. but maybe…. What other stories could explain their behaviour?
What if..?
What if they just need a quiet space to work in, or noise cancelling headphones?
What if they’re right that the project has a fatal flaw?
What if they’re actually staying up late at night because their child is having nightmares?
Ask open-ended questions: How can I help? What do you need?
Say the thing everyone’s thinking
Become a better listener - don’t interrupt
Be willing to make mistakes and get it wrong
Keep an open mind.
“We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are”
Everyone has the right to privacy and to set their own boundaries around their personal lives.
Whatever a colleague chooses to tell you is an act of trust - show your appreciation by listening and asking questions.
If they tell you their son’s graduating high school this weekend, remember to ask them how it went on Monday. Resist the temptation to tell them in detail about your own son’s graduation, or launch into a speech about how expensive college is.
Respectful curiosity is creative and human. Go on, write that sticky note…
“I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious.”
