RE:Think Labs

Every person and every organization in every industry can benefit from curiosity. For individuals, it can keep us from making bad decisions based on our own confirmation biases. It helps us avoid stereotyping people and situations based on preconceptions and lets us approach difficult problems in new ways. Curious people tend to be more open-minded and report more positive social interactions with their colleagues. For people in large organizations, it can also be a career booster. Managers who encourage and foster curiosity in their employees benefit too. Teams of curious individuals perform better and are able to approach challenges in new and creative ways. There are major benefits for organizations as well. Outside of individual problem-solving, workplace curiosity can also have a big impact on organizational happiness. It's closely related to empathy, which is why curious teams experience less conflict. When we can view issues through other's perspectives, we're able to communicate more effectively and achieve goals more efficiently. #curiosity

The Creativity Research Journal conducted a study that found that moderate physical exercise 🏃♀️ results in a significant increase in cognitive creativity. This holds true in the workplace. Physical exercise has been scientifically proven to help us reach the best solutions with divergent thinking, open-ended questions, and original ideas. When physical activity at work comes to mind, office wellness programs are the talk of the town, and rightly so. They include interesting, activity-based goals, group activities and incentives. In this domain, Vantage Fit leads the market with excellent features like step trackers and more with a fun gamification aspect that cultivates tempting rewards. #creativity

Creativity thrives in environments where employees are constantly learning and developing new skills. Companies that invest in the professional development of their employees aren't just building a more skilled workforce but also fostering a culture of curiosity and innovation. Providing access to training and development programs is one way to encourage continuous learning. This could include workshops, online courses, or even mentoring programs to help employees expand their knowledge and passions. Another way to promote learning is to encourage employees to get involved in different areas across the company. Whether this involves job rotations, cross-functional projects, or shadowing colleagues in different departments, exposure to different perspectives can spark inspiration for new ways of thinking. #creativity #innovation

We all know community is a good thing, but here are 4️⃣ ways building community in the workplace can help increase innovation: 🌟 Fueling collaborative creativity 🌟 Providing useful constructive criticism 🌟 Cultivating beneficial partnerships 🌟 Boosting resilience #innovation #community

Does your organization value curiosity? Your answer may depend on whether you're an executive or an individual employee. A SurveyMonkey study asked more than 23,000 people, including 16,000 employees and 1,500 C-suite leaders, if their organizations value and reward curiosity. The research found a dramatic gap between how these two groups perceive curiosity within their organization. 83% of executives said that curiosity is encouraged within their organizations, but only 52% of individual contributors said the same. These two groups also had different perspectives on whether curiosity leads to financial reward, with 49% of executives agreeing that curiosity leads to salary growth compared to only 16% of employees saying the same thing. This gap has very real-world implications for workplace innovation. 73% of employees said that when they feel curious at work, they're more likely to share their ideas and generate new ones. If employees don't feel that their curiosity is encouraged and rewarded, they're less likely to be engaged in their work and offer up new ideas that could help the organization thrive. #curiosity

Any parent whose been asked "Why?" one too many times knows that kids are innately curious. The world is new and they're seeking greater understanding--no matter how frustrating it is when you're on the receiving end of their strings of questions. Studies have found that infants look at novel stimuli for longer than known stimuli. However, there's a myth that only kids are curious. Scott Shigeoka, author of Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World, says "A meta-analysis of a million-plus research participants across dozens of research studies found that we actually get more curious over our lifespan, up until cognitive decline. Often, it's one of those superpowers, like creativity, that gets tamped out of us." Fortunately, there are ways to regain your inner curiosity. Shigeoka offers the acronym "DIVE" to help rebuild it: Detach Intend Value Embrace #curiosity

According to research by SAS, curiosity is being acknowledged as an increasingly valuable skill for business and employee success. Since curiosity is such a crucial trait for business success in the future, particularly when it comes to retaining talent, what can companies do to make sure their employees are enabled and encouraged to be more curious? Employers who are successful at nurturing curiosity invest in training (79%) and promote those who are successful at it (74%). They also prioritize curiosity in the hiring process (74%) and in the company's mission (70%). These organizations also reward curiosity in performance reviews (71%) and one-to-one mentoring (59%). To be successful, organizations have to genuinely devote themselves to developing curiosity-rich environments through employee education, skills building, increased availability of data and advancements in digital integration. #curiosity

We all know the value of a good question -- the way it moves beyond the search for an answer and pushes toward new thinking. But how can businesses encourage the kind of culture that leads to this type of questioning? How can a company institutionalize curiosity? Curiosity and creativity benefit from structure, these practices can be systemized. Companies have the ability to emphasize questions over answers and carve out space for exploration. Here are 4️⃣ ways leaders can encourage curiosity: 🌟 Know that a little bit goes a long way. 🌟 Prize asking over knowing. 🌟 Make space for aimless exploration. 🌟 Be sure to close the loop. #curiosity

Curiosity is a powerful tool. At its core, curiosity is the drive to seek out new experiences and perspectives. It's the act of continuous learning and the desire to understand more deeply. When you're curious, you ask questions, explore new ideas, and take on new challenges. By staying curious, you'll always be open to new knowledge and ideas. By consistently encouraging a curious mindset, employers are able to unlock their employees' potential and create a culture of learning, growth and innovation. Organizations that foster a culture of curiosity are more likely to be successful long-term because they're better equipped to adapt to change and continually improve. In fact, a study of 800 participants by Todd Kashdan, a professor of psychology at George Mason University, found that more curious participants reported better overall work-life experiences. #curiosity

Who benefits from curiosity? The short answer? We all do! As curious individuals, we're more open-minded and less likely to make assumptions. We can approach difficult problems in new ways. Teams of curious colleagues are prepared to apply their creativity and inquisitiveness to better approach change while solving challenges in new, innovative ways. Curiosity is also closely linked to empathy, meaning curious people are more open to different perspectives. They're less likely to experience conflict, able to communicate more effectively and achieve their goals more efficiently. So how can you make your workplace more curious? 🌟 Enable continuous learning. 🌟 Set aside specific days to cultivate curiosity. 🌟 Adjust hiring practices. 🌟 Build a culture of curiosity. 🌟 Actively encourage questions. Curiosity is a powerful tool that enables better systems and processes, innovation and a happier workforce. And that goes for all organizations, no matter their size or area of industry. Fostering a culture of creativity is a win for everyone. #curiosity #creativity