How big is the chasm between leader and employee? Much larger than you probably realize, writes Michael Hvisdos in Trainingmagazine. In the 2015 State of Curiosity survey conducted by Harris Poll, two in three workers (66 percent) report they face barriers to asking more questions at work, and only one in four workers (22 percent) describe themselves as “curious” at work.
In fact, in every industry included in the survey, employees ranked themselves personally as being more curious than the employers they work for — a clear signal that our organizational structures are creating unnecessary handcuffs, thereby stifling innovation and discovery.
Hvisdos says it’s incumbent on leaders to create a culture of creativity, in part by creating a safe environment for questions. “Four-year-olds ask 300 questions a day. By the time they’re in middle school, the tally plummets to near zero. Curiosity begins with questions, and limiting your team’s ability to have open, constructive dialogue kills curiosity. Leaders must allow time for exploration and questions. They also must be present (physically and intellectually) and curious during these sessions.”
