Curiosity and continued learning are at the heart of effective leadership and success, yet it can be so easy to let our experience get in the way. Most of us are paid to be experts in something, to know the answers and have a problem-solving mindset. Of course, these things are also vitally important. And yet to continue to evolve as leaders (and human beings) we need to be willing to not know everything and to ensure we continue to be genuinely curious about ourselves, others and the world around us.
Why? Well because they fuel growth, adaptability and innovation. In this blog we will also explore why a growth mindset, fuelled by curiosity and lifelong learning is the secret to leadership success.
1. Growth mindset drives resilience and cultivates curiosity rather than judgement
Leaders who have a growth mindset have the belief that abilities, intelligence and talents can be developed through effort, learning and persistence.
This concept, introduced by psychologist Carol Dweck, contrasts with a fixed mindset, where individuals believe that qualities like intelligence or leadership ability are innate and unchangeable.
Leaders with a growth mindset are more likely to see setbacks as opportunities for growth, both for themselves and their teams, rather than seeing mistakes as failures. This mindset can support teams to feel safe in the face of riskier decisions, and ensure they learn from, rather than avoid mistakes. Of course we don’t want to create failure for the sake of it, but great leaders understand it is part of the journey for all of us and by role modelling a growth mindset this has real benefits.
“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” – Louisa May Alcott
2. Curiosity fuels innovation
When I support leaders who are developing their coaching skills, I start with the concept of curiosity rather than judgment. All too often we don’t even realise the judgments we are making, they are often inbuilt to the ways we think. I encourage leaders to start by asking rather than telling, using powerful questions. I also encourage you to start meetings by asking those around you what they want from the meeting, by creating a focus it can really engage the team in the content and time, rather than the leader telling.
In Michael Bungay-Stanier’s Advice Monster Youtube video, he talks about our advice monster, this concept really resonates as I notice we all have this innate tendency to want to tell others what we think, what to do and impart our wisdom. And yet when you reflect on the moments that make the difference for your own development, it is often when a leader has given you their attention but also let you work things out for yourself. This is done by questioning and being genuinely curious about the others perspective.
3. Lifelong learning builds releance and ongoing job satisfaction
The world is constantly changing. Leaders who stop learning become outdated. Those who invest in continuous learning stay ahead of trends and encourage a culture of curiosity. I was working with a leader recently who completely transformed the development conversations with their teams. He started them differently, by being much more in partnership in the conversation, asking more what the person’s thoughts and ideas were, giving them his perspective of course of the feedback and insights, then partnering together to consider what development would look like for that person.
We all have different seasons of our lives and by encouraging a dialogue about this, we can ensure all team members have a say in their development. It also starts with the leader role modelling their own lifelong learning. I believe it is not just the formal development, such as reading, podcasts, programmes and qualifications that fall in to this category, it is the way the leader holds themselves day to day. This goes back to the earlier points around having a growth mindset, being curious and being okay to share when we don’t know the answers, as well as inviting feedback about ourselves and accepting rather than justifying how we acted. These attributes also create a culture of lifelong learning.
4. Encouraging humility and empathy
Brene Brown’s Youtube video on Empathy vs Sympathy is a great reminder of how to truly connect with others. A deeper level of connection with people is what makes the difference in teams and leaders who are able to truly empathise in the moments that count are those that are talked about long after the person is in the team with you. I encourage leaders to look out for those golden moments when you can connect, as they appear regularly.
These might include the big stuff like how you handle job moves, redundancies or health issues of a team member. And yet it might also be empathising with the way people show up to meetings for example, engaging those who are quieter by adapting your style, or accepting an idea of a direct report and trying out a new approach. These small acts increase psychologically safety where others also feel free to learn and grow.
In conclusion: effective leadership is a learning journey
The best leaders aren’t those with all the answers, they’re the ones asking better questions, learning every day and helping others grow. A growth mindset is not a buzzword it’s the foundation of agile, authentic and effective leadership in the modern world. When leaders model curiosity and learning, teams are more engaged, Learning becomes contagious, tailored and people are more willing to take smart risks, creating a culture of experimentation, adaptability and trust.
As you start to reflect on your own leadership style, I encourage you to consider curiosity, a growth mindset and your own lifelong learning approach.
I’d love to hear how you get on and how you find the different approaches. If you would like support with building your effective leadership style get in touch to see how 1:1 leadership coaching sessions can support you.