If you know me, you know that I can talk. A lot. But you’ve probably also noticed that I ask a lot of questions. I think curiosity is one of life’s greatest gifts—the desire to understand how things work, to learn how other people think, to uncover perspectives I hadn’t considered before. Curiosity fuels growth, innovation, and connection.
Books have always been a powerful source of curiosity for me, but so have people. I’ve learned that curiosity is as much about listening as it is about asking. A lesson that first struck me in elementary school has stayed with me ever since.
I was on the phone with a friend—an older, cooler friend I desperately wanted to impress. I chatted away, talking about myself, my thoughts, my experiences. When I hung up, my sister, who had overheard, said something that stopped me in my tracks: “I noticed that you went through that entire conversation without asking her a single question.”
That stuck with me. No matter how much I think, or how clever my observations may be, there’s always more to be gained by asking and by listening.
Curiosity isn’t just about gathering knowledge—it’s a leadership tool. When we approach our teams, our colleagues, and our communities with curiosity, we open the door to better understanding, stronger relationships, and creative problem-solving. Instead of assuming we have all the answers, we can ask, “What do you think?” “How do you see this?” “What am I missing?”
I learned this lesson again when I worked at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library as Director of Marketing and Communications. I quickly realized that to do my job well, I needed to understand far more than just marketing and communications. I needed to grasp how our budget worked and how our finance department collaborated with the county, so I could work effectively with the media covering our budget process. I wanted to learn about building projects and renovations so I could better communicate with customers impacted by construction. Even something as simple as understanding how maintenance operated helped me contribute by reporting building issues—like puddles that posed a risk to patrons or a broken sink in a restroom.
It can be tempting to focus your curiosity solely on your own field, and that is valuable. But if you truly want to be a leader in an organization, your curiosity has to extend beyond your department. Understanding how different functions interconnect makes you a better problem solver, a more effective communicator, and a stronger leader overall.
Leading with curiosity means leading with humility and openness. It means recognizing that the people around us have insights and experiences that can shape our own thinking. It means being willing to ask, listen, and learn—again and again.
What role does curiosity play in your daily life?
