Beyond Knowing: Why Curiosity Keeps You Sharp
How a curious mindset helps leaders adapt, innovate, and lead with intent.
“Curiosity killed the cat,” they say. But I’ve met a few cats in business — and it wasn’t curiosity that did the damage. It was certainty.
We often treat curiosity as something passive, a creative spark, a personality trait, something to encourage in brainstorming sessions. But when you’re leading people, running a department, or navigating shifting priorities, curiosity becomes something else entirely.
It becomes a performance tool. A leadership edge. Not as a luxury, but as a mindset that keeps you effective in real time.
Because the truth is: it’s often the leaders who already know what they’re doing who need curiosity the most.
When Curiosity Fades
Curiosity doesn’t disappear overnight. It fades quietly, often replaced by confidence, pace, and pressure.
You start thinking:
“We’ve handled this before.”
“We know what works.”
“Let’s not overcomplicate things.”
But the challenge is: the context isn’t the same. The people may be different. The pressures are evolving. What used to work may no longer fit.
And if you’re not paying attention to those shifts — if you're not asking questions — you risk missing what’s actually changed.
That’s where curiosity fits in. It’s not indulgent. It’s essential.
Curiosity in Real Leadership
Whether you’re leading a function, managing a team, or influencing change, curiosity supports three things every leader needs: adaptability, innovation, and resilience.
It doesn’t slow you down. It helps you respond smarter — before small issues become bigger ones.
You see this clearly in the corporate world. When Satya Nadella took over as CEO of Microsoft in 2014, the company had become bloated and slow. Nadella didn’t begin with new products or strategy. He began with culture. He asked: how do we move from being a “know-it-all” organisation to a “learn-it-all” one?
That mindset shift rebuilt Microsoft’s energy. Teams became more open. Decisions improved. The business regained its edge.
You see it in sport too. The All Blacks, arguably the most successful rugby team of all time, didn’t stay on top by doing more of the same. They drew on ideas from military leadership, psychology, and Māori culture. Their strength didn’t come from brute force. It came from the discipline of staying curious.
And I’ve seen it first-hand. I worked with a senior leader who’d built a strong, stable business over 20 years. But things had plateaued. The team was disengaged. New thinking wasn’t surfacing. Over time, he’d stopped asking questions and people had stopped offering answers. Once he re-engaged with curiosity, invited challenge, and opened up the conversation, everything shifted. The team lifted. Fresh ideas emerged. And his own job became easier.
Intentional Curiosity
Curiosity isn’t the opposite of decisiveness. It’s the companion of good judgement.
It’s not about hesitating or second-guessing. It’s about asking better questions before making better decisions.
Here are three that I often share with leaders looking to stay sharp:
What are we no longer seeing clearly — because it’s too familiar?
What question would you ask if you were an outsider seeing this for the first time?
If we weren’t already doing this, would we start now?
These aren’t theoretical. They’re practical. They invite challenge without creating chaos. They keep you from drifting into default decisions.
C.A.R. — A Simple Mnemonic for Curious Leadership
If you want to practise curiosity consistently, C.A.R. is a helpful prompt:
Context – What’s shifted in your environment, team, or mindset that you haven’t named yet?
Ask – What are you not hearing? Who else could offer a view that challenges yours?
Reflect – Before acting, pause. Is this the best move for now — or just the familiar one?
This isn’t about creating extra steps. It’s about staying alert to when habits are running the show — and reconnecting with intentionality.
A Quick Word of Caution
Like any strength, curiosity can be overdone.
Stay in discovery mode too long and decisions stall. Teams lose momentum. People start wondering where things are going.
That’s why reflection is the final step in the C.A.R. mnemonic — not the destination. Curiosity is there to sharpen your judgement, not replace it.
You still need to move. To choose. To own outcomes.
But curiosity helps you do all of that with more clarity — and more buy-in from those around you.
Final Thought — and a Challenge
If you’re in a position of influence — leading people, managing change, shaping how things get done — curiosity isn’t a soft skill. It’s a strategic strength.
It helps you see clearly, decide wisely, and lead from a place of intent, not assumption.
So here’s your challenge for the week ahead:
Take one area of your work — a decision, a habit, a conversation — and ask:
“If I were seeing this for the first time, what would stand out?”
Then act on what you find.
Curiosity doesn’t slow you down. It keeps you sharp — especially when others are running on what they already know.
Anthony O'Mara
Performance & Resilience Coach
✉️ anthony@anthonyomara.com
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