It is said that curiosity cant be forced. It takes an earnest interest in a subject to motivate curiosity, and it is quite hard to fake it when you really are not. And this is true for both work and personal life. I have always thought of curiosity as a trait, but I am convinced that it is a skill - it can be practiced and bettered.
At work, being curious has multiple potential rewards and provides incredible incentive to pursue questions, thoughts and ideas. By asking yourself “how does this work?” can lead to incredible results because it increases your possibility of serendipity, and sometimes puts you in a position that wouldnt have found if the status quo was being maintained.
This doesnt have to be just with yourself. In any company, there is always information asymmetry. The need for right information to be with the right person seems like a simple problem to solve, but because of complexity of organisational structures it is not always so.
By being curious and receptive to any questions or problems that may not be your exact job description, can open up possibilities and new opportunities.
I can broadly categorise these “curiosities” into x types
- People:
- By being curious about people who you interact with. These are your immediate peers and managers who are also individuals with their own unique stories, ambitions, careers and personal lives. Each person has traversed a unique path to be where they are, and it is a disservice if you dont know a little bit more about
- Process
- Product
- for the sake the 4th P - Profit