Empathy is more than simply putting yourself in someone else's shoes - it begins with curiosity and asking questions. Joanie Connell, founder of Flexible Work Solutions, defines curiosity and describes how being curious can help interpersonal relations at work. She joins Etienne de Bruin to discuss how leaders can nurture curiosity among team members.


Part of the curiosity mindset is the courage to take risks, be vulnerable, and try things that may not work.

In relationships, being inquisitive can be difficult since it often involves asking people what they're feeling even when you don't know what that might be. You have to be humble and be open to the possibility that you may be mistaken.

By setting expectations for how questioning will be used, leaders can establish a culture of curiosity. Employees may be hesitant to ask questions for fear of being punished, so leaders must take the initiative to make their environment a safe zone for curiosity.

There is a time and place for curiosity; if you keep the questions rolling at a bad time, you can slow the process down and miss deadlines.


Resources
Joanie Connell on LinkedIn | Twitter | Website
Email Etienne: etienne@7ctos.com