Curiosity is a critical skill for transformative growth and change.

 

Curiosity is part art and part science, well in fact they both are based upon curiosity. When we have a business we need to add curiosity into our business. Most of the breakthrough discoveries and remarkable inventions throughout history, from starting a fire to potentially living on Mars, are all the result of curiosity. Sadly, it is also a trait that many leaders seem to undervalue or dismiss entirely from business.

 

Each business is unique, and our recent disruption from the Covid-19 response is different for all of us. What doesn’t change though is the planning, and strategizing to lead your business forward are fundamental business principles. In some states in Australia RTO’s were such down for weeks. So now is the time to get planning, and get curious.

 

So how does curiosity affect the bottom line?

 

Planning your business is all about being curious about what could happen if we…

It’s about looking at where you want to go, reflecting upon what has happened, and then becoming curious.

 

Using your curiosity skills in your business will enhance:

• Your awareness (what truly is happening here)
• Your planning ability (what if I did this…)
• Encourage collaboration (what if we did this….)
• Reduce resistance (in your team)
• Create continual learning

 

By implementing strategies around curiosity you could be creating new revenue streams, new ways of working with less cost associated with it. New ways of training, and implementing your own RTO course strategies.

 

In our ever-shifting market, we need to ask questions of our employees, other leaders, our students and our industry. Accelerating change, compliance and clouding uncertainty demand it. It’s no longer enough to fall back on long-established ways of doing things.

 

Those RTO businesses that are unable to adapt and keep pace with change simply will not survive. You need tools, practices, mindsets to adapt, curiosity, flexibility, and innovation, or you disappear.

 

All of these will increase your leadership and build trust.

 

It works with your team as well. In business we need to build trust, especially when there is a global exit happening. We want our people to feel valued and supported, and to get along. By asking them to become curious, they feel invested, and come up with new ideas, that could be game changing for your business. When people develop the habit of genuinely exploring ideas, they are more likely to find surprising, innovative solutions.

 

Curious people also make better co-workers because they are interested in others. They ask questions and learn about others, giving them the ability to see a bigger picture. This also means they know more about each other’s skills, and value each person’s unique contributions. Which makes for better relationships, and more productive collaborations.

This means your leaders need to be constantly learning, adopting new practices and perspectives, asking the right questions, and anticipating how they will be able fit today and tomorrow.

Additional by reflecting on the way people are working, and being curious about making small changes to the design of your business, managing employees you can significantly improve your RTO. Curiosity is openness to what’s possible.

Curiosity is an “elite” communication skill. Much like empathy and self-awareness, curiosity is a proven and useful leadership skill. The value that curiosity brings for personal growth, organisational learning and creating connections that generate employee engagement is evident. If there was ever a time that establishing relationships and increased employee engagement is needed, it’s now.

Be a leader who treasures inquisitive minds, rather than stifling curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency. It is a way of the future, just as art and science has been sharing for years.

To be really curious focus on understanding where you ask questions such as “How did you do that?” “What do you want to do?” “How will that create…”

Really put your skin in the game and go deeper, asking questions like “We need to achieve…. How do you think we can do this?”

 

It can be game changing.