Curiosity: The Untapped Frequency of Innovation

How to tune-in to the new wave of innovation

Did curiosity kill the cat, or does it just make us lose focus when it kills the cat? We've all heard the saying, but what if we've been missing the point?

Curiosity didn't kill the cat; it made the cat explore every nook and cranny of its world.

And just like that feline, when our curiosity is piqued, our brains are primed for learning.

Studies show that curiosity enhances memory and makes us more receptive to new information.

But why then, does curiosity sometimes lead us astray with its shiny--squirrel!

The Double-Edged Sword of Curiosity

When we think about innovation and problem-solving, curiosity often seems like a double-edged sword.

On one hand, it's the spark that ignites new ideas, pushing us to explore beyond our current understanding. But, on the flip side, it can scatter our focus, leading us into endless rabbit holes.

Consider this:

According to Gallup, employees who feel they can be curious at work are 1.8 times more likely to have higher levels of engagement.This suggests that curiosity is not just a personal trait but a workplace asset.

Yet, the challenge remains: how do we harness this power without letting it derail us?

Here's where the data gets even more compelling.

Research from the Harvard Business Review indicates that curiosity can significantly boost innovation. In fact, a study by Francesca Gino shows that organizations with curious cultures are 3.5 times more likely to have employees who innovate in their roles.

So, the question isn't whether curiosity is valuable, but how we can wield it with precision to cut through complexity and drive innovation forward.

Enter Curiosity-Based Thinking (CBT), a methodology that taps into the frequency of curiosity not just to explore, but to expand and refine our focus.

By turning curiosity into a tool rather than a trait, CBT allows individuals and teams to navigate the treacherous waters of innovation with both eyes wide open.

With Curiosity-Based Thinking, curiosity isn't just a spark for creativity; it's an engine for dynamic, multi-dimensional thinking.

How have you seen curiosity both benefit and challenge your approach to problem-solving or innovation?

Tuning the Dial of Curiosity

Curiosity is your innovation dial; turn it to the right frequency for groundbreaking ideas.

Imagine your curiosity as a radio. Curiosity-Based Thinking is the dial that tunes us into the right wavelengths. When properly adjusted, we can tune out the static of one-track thinking and tune in to a symphony of ideas where focus meets flexibility.

What frequency of curiosity do you think could revolutionize your team's or your own approach to creativity and focus?

From 'What?' to 'Wow!'

Curiosity-Based Thinking doesn't just pose questions; it transforms them into pathways for innovation. Consider this scenario:

In a typical classroom, students learn that adding baking soda to vinegar produces a fizzy reaction. But with CBT, the teacher might ask, "What would happen if we added sugar to this mix?" This simple question leads to student-led experiments, where they discover that sugar doesn't react visibly, but it does affect the reaction's speed, leading to a 'Wow!' moment when they understand the underlying chemistry.

Or imagine a business scenario where a team is stuck on improving customer service. Instead of asking how to fix current issues, a "What?" question might be, "What if our customer service was so good it became the reason people chose our product?" This shift in perspective leads to innovative ideas like personalized service or a community feedback loop, turning customer service from a problem area into a competitive advantage.

Through processes like "What? to Wow!" and "Curiosity A-Z," CBT doesn't just ask questions; it provokes us to rethink our entire approach to problems, ensuring solutions are not only innovative but also inclusive and adaptable.

Examples of Curiosity-Based Thinking in Action:

In Education:

• Classroom Exploration: What? to Wow! - Instead of just asking students to memorize facts, teachers pose questions like, "What would happen if we changed this variable in the experiment?" leading to a 'Wow!' moment when students discover new outcomes or connections.
• Curiosity A-Z: A teacher might run an exercise where students must find one new fact or question for each letter of the alphabet related to a topic, encouraging broad exploration and critical thinking.
• Project-Based Learning: Students are given a broad problem to solve, like environmental sustainability in their community, and must ask questions that lead to innovative solutions, guided by curiosity rather than a predefined path.

In Business/Project Management:

• Innovation Workshops: Teams are tasked with using "Curiosity Mapping" where they map out what they know, what they think they know, and what they are curious about regarding a project. This leads to identifying areas for innovation that might have been overlooked.
• Problem-Solving Meetings: Introduce a "Curiosity Round" where, before diving into solutions, team members must ask at least five "why" questions about the problem to delve deeper into understanding it.
• Product Development: Employing "Curiosity-Driven Design," where instead of focusing solely on existing customer feedback, teams explore "what if" scenarios to push beyond current product limitations or customer expectations.

Personal Development:

• Learning New Skills: Instead of just learning a new language, one might use CBT to ask, "How do different cultures use this language creatively?" leading to not just language proficiency but cultural understanding.
• Career Development: Before deciding on a career path, one might engage in "Curiosity Quest" where they explore different roles within their field, asking questions like, "What does a day in the life look like in this job?" or "What are the emerging trends in this sector?"
• Daily Life: A person might adopt a "Curiosity Habit" where they challenge themselves to ask one new question about something they take for granted each day, fostering continuous learning and engagement with the world.

General Application:

• Cross-disciplinary Thinking: In any field, CBT can encourage looking at problems through lenses of other disciplines. For example, a software engineer might ask how biological systems solve similar problems to inspire new approaches.
• Experimentation Over Perfection: Encouraging an attitude where failure is seen as a step towards understanding, by asking, "What can we learn from this that no one else knows?"

Which of these examples resonates with you, and how might you implement Curiosity-Based Thinking in your daily work or learning environment?

These examples illustrate how Curiosity-Based Thinking can be transformed from a passive trait into an active tool for learning, innovation, and personal growth. Each scenario highlights how asking the right questions can lead to deeper insights and broader solutions, making curiosity a strategic asset rather than just a personal quality.

Can you recall a moment when a simple question led you or your team to a surprising or innovative discovery? How did it change your perspective?

Case Study on Curiosity in Education

A study by the Van Andel Institute showed

a 20% increase in students' critical thinking and curiosity after adopting inquiry-based strategies.

Have you seen or experienced a similar increase in engagement or curiosity in your own learning or teaching environment? What was the catalyst?

With Curiosity-Based Thinking, curiosity becomes the catalyst that transforms the double-edged sword into a tool for cutting through complexity, enabling us to stay both sharp and broad-minded in our pursuit of excellence.

Project managers and school administrators, let me know if you're curious to discover how CBT can revolutionize your team's or school's approach to innovation!

Stay curious!

Matt