Curiosity didn't kill the cat, it gave her 9 lives

Your reminder to always ask why

Author

Ann Boger
October 31, 2023

For parents of small children, “why?” is right up there with “are we there yet?”. But the minute we stop asking “why” is the minute we stop learning. And “because I said so,” has never been a good answer.

Asking ourselves, our teams and our stakeholders “why",” is one of the most effective ways we can improve communication, unpack assumptions and solve problems.

  • How often do you ask Why during the week?

  • Is asking Why at work encouraged? or seen as counter-productive?

  • If you lead teams, do you model asking Why regularly?

  • If you lead people, do you ask them about their Why?

When I stop to think about it, I’m amazed by how quickly asking why can get to the heart of a matter. Take a look at your schedule for the week. Is it the week you need to have? Why?

Curiosity Is The Rocket Fuel For Inclusive Leadership | Signature Leaders

Without curiosity about the work, you won't continue to learn and grow. And without curiosity, you can't demonstrate inclusive leadership.

signatureleaders.com/curiosity-is-the-rocket-fuel-for-inclusive-leadership

5 Whys - What is it? | Lean Enterprise Institute

5 Whys is the practice of asking why repeatedly when a problem is encountered to get beyond the obvious symptoms to discover the root cause.

www.lean.org/lexicon-terms/5-whys/#:~:text=5%20Whys%20is%20the%20practice,working%20(Ohno%201988%2C%20p.

The Business Case for Curiosity

Although leaders might say they value inquisitive minds, in reality most stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency. Harvard Business School’s Francesca Gino elaborates on the benefits of and common barriers to curiosity in the workplace and offers five strategies for bolstering it.

hbr.org/2018/09/the-business-case-for-curiosity

A few examples…

I feel guilty that I didn’t go to the gym this morning.
Why? Because I am “supposed to” exercise every day.
Why? Because I want to be in shape.
Why? Because I feel bad if I don’t.
Why? Because fat-shaming is real and I judge myself even more harshly than I do other people.
Ouch. Um. So, maybe take a day off from the gym and DON’T feel bad about it?


OR


We need to completely redesign this website.
Why? It’s not performing as we need it to.
Why? Not enough people are buying the product.
Why? It’s too expensive.
Why? They can get it cheaper on Amazon.
OK, so - do we still want to redo the site?

Can I help you with something?

Schedule a 30 minute consult with me to see if I can help you knock your goals out of the park.

calendly.com/ann-bramble