The higher you rise, the more important it becomes to remain a student.
A major focus of my career has been studying what makes someone an effective leader. If I had to identify the single most important characteristic, it would be honesty. People have to trust that their leader is telling them the truth. Without honesty and trust, leadership falls apart.
If I were choosing what comes next, curiosity would be at the top of my list. Great leaders are dedicated to lifelong learning. They read and study because they understand that what made them successful in the past will not be enough to sustain that success in the future.
Nobody can know everything
Curiosity becomes increasingly important as a leader takes on greater responsibility. No executive can have deep expertise in every area of a complex organization. The business environment changes too quickly for any one person to keep up with everything. People throughout the organization see things the leader cannot see and possess knowledge the leader does not have. A strong leader needs to be curious enough to seek out those perspectives.
What 10,000 employees say they want
This is one of the reasons I consider curiosity an essential part of leadership communication. I have surveyed more than 10,000 high-potential employees at top companies around the world about the characteristics they look for in a leader. When I ask specifically about communication, people tell me they value a leader who can articulate ideas well and explain where the organization is going. However, the two characteristics that consistently rank highest are the ability to ask great questions and listen intently to the answers.
Curious leaders ask for ideas because they understand that someone else may have information that could change their thinking.
Curious leaders want to know what other people are thinking. They ask for ideas and feedback because they understand that someone else may have information that could change their thinking. Then they pay close attention to the answer. I have watched excellent leaders fill pages with notes during conversations because they were genuinely interested in understanding the other person’s perspective.
Asking is only half of it
What a leader does with that information also matters. If you continually ask people for their ideas but nothing ever happens with what they tell you, they will eventually stop contributing. Leaders cannot act on every suggestion, but people need to know their input was considered — and that good ideas can result in change.
The leader sets the pace
A leader’s curiosity also influences how other people approach learning. When employees see a senior executive reading, studying, asking good questions, and listening to people throughout the organization, they understand that this is the behaviour expected of them as well. The leader sets the pace. Curiosity becomes part of how people think about their work and how the organization continues to improve.
Stay a student
The higher you rise in an organization, the more important it becomes to remain a student. Continue learning from your people, your customers, your industry, and your own experience as a leader.
Curiosity keeps you growing, and great leaders never stop learning.
John Spence is a global expert on leadership and organizational excellence. As a speaker, workshop facilitator, and executive coach, he helps leaders turn complex business challenges into clear strategies and practical action.
