The word curiosity by usage is made to represent a negative connotation; albeit its dictionary meaning is, “a strong desire to know or learn something". The word by virtue of usage has potential to be used positively and negatively. Curiosity can be a good habit or a bad one, depending upon the intentionality of why curiosity exists.
The word curiosity by usage is made to represent a negative connotation; albeit its dictionary meaning is, “a strong desire to know or learn something". The word by virtue of usage has potential to be used positively and negatively. Curiosity can be a good habit or a bad one, depending upon the intentionality of why curiosity exists.
The story goes that a lazy cat was told not to touch or go near the blazing/glowing ball … but the cat catapulted to temptation … She touched the glowing crystal ball, and instantaneously, the cat became a Lioness! When the people returned, they couldn't find the lazy cat and declared, "curiosity killed the cat".
Curiosity is not to be misunderstood as having the habit to being intensely inquisitive about other people's affairs that most certainly will land anyone into trouble. Certainly, it is for those possessed of this habit, that the English language adopted the adage, "curiosity killed the cat". This dictum originated in 1598, in a play by Ben Johnson and was adapted by William Shakespeare. "Care killed the cat" was the original coinage, then in 1873, 'care' was replaced 'curiosity'. Too much curiosity is certainly dangerous, but the instinct to inquire must never be made latent.
A curious life is a better life. "Two dimensions of curiosity, one is for interest, which propels us to enquire that which may be useful to us; and the other, is from pride to know what others do not know". Hence curiosity as a personality trait can be a positive or negative habit. It was for the individual to discover for what purpose he/she possesses the streak of curiosity.
Curiosity to be propelled demands the acquisition of reading habit. Leaders are expected to be good and voracious readers. Political leadership in our context can be a sore exception. Leaders, political or otherwise in the west and the east read, as a matter of need and habit; Bill Clinton recently mentioned that in the year 2022, he had read 82 books on varied subjects. Mao Tse-Tung, the onetime helmsman of modern China met his visitors, foreign or local, only in his study (library). Even when a foreign dignitary would visit him, the books would literally be littered on the floor -- no attempt was made to make the study, slick and span -- what was littered on the floor, constituted the development of his vision for China. Winston Churchill was a prolific reader and writer, too. So, is reading essential for leadership? Absolutely yes.
Demagoguery in political leadership, in particular, and generally in corporate leadership too, is considered an essential element. Corporate leaders too are, many times, Demi-demagogues. Curiosity feeds the ability of demagoguery, because it furnishes information. On the stage, leaders come not to give a speech of substance with meaningful profundity, but to perform to the gallery! They throw up dust; argue a case that doesn't exist or is of no relevance to the audience. The best part is they always get away with such enactments. They play with words, which is not anchored in the realm of basic and meaningful curiosity, but is instead, purely part of verbal deception. Borrowing from Shelley Berman's words, a politician (demagogue) can hold a glass of water and speak for hours …" This is a glass of water. But is it a glass of water? And if it is indeed a glass of water, why is it a glass of water" And eventually he/she and the team can die of thirst.
Lack of curiosity is an extraordinary handicap in any type of leadership. A physical self that doesn't carry a curious mind is akin to possessing a classic chassis that carries a dead mind. Leaders/managers must be ' curious cats'; whose intelligence must be to have eagerness to learn; being inquisitive at all times must be a pronounced characteristic in their personalities.
Curious individuals are those who have a mind that is profoundly active, and is not in a passive mode at any time. Curious managers ask leading questions and seek answers from their reports, by virtue of which, the staff is compelled to become curious. Active minds represent stronger usage of the muscles, and hence curiosity demands continual exercise of the mind, which goes to make the mind stronger, younger and resilient. Curious minds sport sound memories too.
Leaders ought to possess curiosity that matches the proverbial cat's curiosity, because it is born out of a natural instinct to assess their environment for prey and predators. The business manager/leader is expected to operate with this type of keenness to benefit from either finding prey from the market or to save oneself from the several roaming predators in the marketplace. "Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect", had remarked, Samuel Johnson.
Curiosity provokes enhanced levels of positive emotions, decreased element of anxiety, greater satisfaction with life and in providing an overall development of a sound, stable, emotional and psychological personality. Researchers have made observations that curious people are non-blaming, non-shaming and are more supportive towards team building and working together; they are focused on exploring options and alternatives… they continually ask, "how", "what" , "when", "where" and "why".?
Alistair Cooke, writing in a 1953 issue of Vogue magazine referred to curiosity as a free-wheeling intelligence... it endows the people who have it with a generosity in argument and a serenity in their own mode of life which spring from the cheerful willingness to let life take the form it will".
The development of new products, services and finding newer markets is an outcome of curiosity. There is evidence of reliable research which proves curiosity to be directly linked with higher levels of emotions, positive, and lower levels of anxiety, depression, etc. For developing new products and services, systems, policies, or procedures, leaders make time available to themselves to be inquisitive on what the market is doing? Or is likely to do, in future; what plans are being made by competition, which new products they are working upon, etc. The curiosity on their part makes them such to be leaders who are always willing to learn, acquire and accept that they may know less than others or that they too can make mistakes. To be involved in any new initiative or program, it is essential to remain curious. Leaders who display curiosity are those who have a heightened sense of empathy, which in turn goes to create a congenial working environment.
To be not possessed of curiosity as a leadership trait can become a great organisational disadvantage in the marketplace. Curiosity is provocative -- the need to find out, what and where, how and why a certain competitor is taking advantage is critical to the sustainability of the business and the leader too.
The presence of the curiosity streak in a manager assures that newer paths; newer methods; fresh ideas; positive imagination and the willingness to jettison old and outdated thoughts, will prevail and dominate the leadership style, while at work. In this day and age of lightning speed of change in almost every aspect of life, from shifting consumer preferences to speedy and auto responses, the need to innovate is a necessity; this necessarily brings to fore a deep sense of curiosity.
To raise within, the spirit and of curiosity, leaders have to read a lot, and read extensively across the various spectrums of the body of knowledge available. If today, the leadership of any organisation fails to discover, understand and apply AI tools to their business development will sooner or later, possibly sooner, be rendered to the backyard of the market. The need for inquisitiveness about AI, ChatGPT, etc will bring knowledge to look and apply in the business modelling, and that will usher afresh thinking and an open mind.
Good readers make good leaders. Leadership has to be curious.
The writer is a senior banker and a freelance columnist
