Risk Free Assessment
Recently, I took my two little boys to Discovery World in Milwaukee. As we walked through the exhibits, we stumbled upon a whole section dedicated to Curious George. Of course, we had to stop and explore! There, staring me in the face, was the phrase “Let’s get curious” in bold letters, and I asked my wife, Nicole, to take a picture of me, because this is exactly what’s been on my mind!
Curiosity!
It’s one of those traits that feels so natural as kids—we ask “Why?” a hundred times a day. As a dad, I get it! The questions from my boys are constant! But as exhausting as it can be, I never want them to stop asking. Because curiosity isn’t just something we grow out of—it’s something we need to carry with us into adulthood, into the workplace, and into the future!
As a CEO, one of the qualities I value most in a team is curiosity. Not just about their own roles, but about how and why we do things the way we do. Why this process? Why not try another approach? And especially now, as more people on my team are exploring tools like ChatGPT and AI, I’ve realized that curiosity is the fuel that makes these tools powerful. If you’re not asking great questions, you’re not going to get great answers.
This year, I want to challenge the Ablr team and our Workforce Development Candidates, to embrace curiosity more than ever. It’s not just about using AI or learning new skills. It’s about developing the mindset that separates humans from machines. We wonder. We question. We explore. And that’s what drives innovation!
A Harvard Business School study found that only 24% of employees feel curious in their jobs on a regular basis, and 70% say they face barriers to asking more questions. That’s a red flag for any organization aiming to be agile, creative, and prepared for change.
Curiosity improves communication. It sparks learning. It allows us to approach challenges with creativity and resilience. It also fosters a culture where people feel safe to speak up, ask questions, and propose new ideas—no matter how outside-the-box they may seem!
Another study asked global executives which skills would be most valuable in the future, and the top three were adaptability, creativity, and curiosity.
While Curious George may be a fictional character from a children’s book, his behavior offers some surprisingly profound lessons for today’s workplace:
- He’s always learning – George doesn’t want to be told what to do. He explores, investigates, and tries to understand the world around him—sometimes (more than often!) getting into trouble, but always learning something new. Imagine if every team had that kind of self-starter curiosity!
- He’s not afraid to fail – Sure, George knocks things over, takes risks, and makes messes, but he doesn’t let mistakes stop him. He adapts. He tries again. And often, his “oops” moments lead to unexpected discoveries. That’s the kind of resilience we need to innovate!
- He sees problems from new angles – Whether he’s figuring out how to fly a kite or build something out of odds and ends, George doesn’t fall back to conventional thinking! That creative problem-solving is exactly what makes curiosity so valuable in today’s workforce!
- He makes everything feel exciting – One of the biggest barriers to curiosity at work is routine (and sometimes process!) But George reminds us that curiosity doesn’t require big, dramatic changes, but rather that sometimes, it’s about noticing something small, asking a question, and seeing it in a new light.
So yes, George is a fictional children’s character – but if more workplaces adopted his mindset, I truly believe we’d see stronger collaboration, better ideas, and a more energized culture!
So as I wrap up, I challenge my team, our job seekers, and anyone looking to thrive in the future of work, to be more curious; Ask better questions, wonder more, learn often, and if you do that, I promise you will see that we all can learn from that little monkey!