Being the geeky engineer that I am, I love to watch “How It’s Made” on the Science channel. It shows in great detail how some common items in our world are manufactured or created. Watching this show literally satisfies my inner desire for knowledge! Engineers are inquisitive by nature and by education and this is a trait that good leaders can learn from us!
Being inquisitive to me is simply being eager for knowledge and naturally curious. It is our desire to understand how things, and people, work. It is also the ability to notice the world around us every day and to observe.
In the world of Business Development, we are taught to ask questions. When you ask questions, you gain data! Leaders can never have enough data. The more data we have, the better our decisions.
How can we use our inquisitive mind as leaders?
– Watch other leaders around succeed or fail (then apply those lessons to our leadership approach)
– Ask our people and others about their work/efforts (use your inquisitive mind to engage your people)
– Question ourselves daily as leaders (am I doing the most I can, did I put forth the correct message in that last meeting)
– Read (whether it’s an informational topic of for enjoyment, always search for more knowledge)
The bottom line; being inquisitive helps us become better leaders!