Here are some examples that invite deeper reflection:
Leading with Curiosity: Better Questions for Better Thinking
How Better Questions Unlock Better Thinking
Curiosity is more than a soft skill , it’s a leadership capability that changes the tone, quality and outcome of conversations. Where time is short and decisions are urgent, it can be tempting for leaders to focus on giving answers and driving results. But the most effective leaders take a different approach: they lead with curiosity.
Rather than rushing to tell, they pause to explore. They use questions to surface insight, build trust and unlock ownership – without letting go of accountability.
In this article, we explore how curiosity changes the dynamic of leadership conversations and offer practical techniques for asking better questions that shift thinking.
Why Curiosity Matters in Leadership
When a leader brings genuine curiosity into a conversation, several things happen:
- It reduces defensiveness: People are more likely to reflect honestly when they feel they’re being invited to think, not interrogated.
- It builds trust: Curiosity signals that you care about the other person’s thinking, not just the result.
- It generates better decisions: Questions help reveal assumptions, surface blind spots and invite new options.
- It strengthens accountability: When people arrive at their own conclusions, they’re more likely to follow through.
According to research from Harvard Business Review, curiosity is associated with fewer decision-making errors, more innovation, and better team performance. And yet, many leaders underuse it, especially under pressure.
The Problem with Telling
Even well-intentioned leaders often default to giving advice or direction. While this can be helpful in the short term, it comes with risks:
- It reduces autonomy: People become reliant on their manager to solve problems.
- It limits learning: They miss the chance to think through the issue for themselves.
- It creates bottlenecks: Leaders become overwhelmed with decisions others could make.
Telling keeps the focus on the leader’s thinking. Curiosity shifts the focus to the other person’s capacity to reflect, decide and act.
Curious Questions That Shift Thinking
Not all questions are created equal. Some close down thinking (“Have you tried doing it this way?”), while others open it up. The key is to ask questions that are:
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Open rather than closed
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Focused on perspective, not just facts
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Grounded in belief in the other person’s capability
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“What’s the part of this you haven’t said out loud yet?”
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“If you zoomed out six months from now, what would success look like?”
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“What’s the assumption here that might need to be tested?”
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“What’s the real challenge underneath this?”
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“If you already knew the answer, what might it be?”
These aren’t tricks or formulas. They’re invitations – designed to stretch thinking, not lead it.
Balancing Curiosity with Accountability
Leading with curiosity doesn’t mean being vague, passive or hands-off. It means supporting others to take ownership, while still holding clear expectations.
Here’s how the balance works:
- Curiosity creates space to explore options, values and perspectives.
- Accountability grounds the conversation in action, clarity and follow-through.
You might ask:
“What are the options you’re weighing, and what do you see as the consequences of each?”
Then follow with:
“What decision are you prepared to stand behind, and what support do you need to make it work?”
Building a Culture of Curiosity
When curiosity becomes a norm, not a tactic, the culture shifts. Teams become more engaged, creative and resilient. Mistakes become learning opportunities. Feedback becomes dialogue. And conversations become a shared space for thinking, not just transmitting.
You can start building that culture by modelling the behaviours:
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Ask more questions than you answer
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Stay genuinely curious, especially when you feel the urge to fix
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Acknowledge uncertainty - and invite others to explore it with you
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Respond to insight with encouragement, not evaluation
It only takes one person asking better questions to raise the quality of thinking in the room.
Curiosity isn’t about withholding direction, it’s about choosing presence over control. When you lead with curiosity, you signal trust. You invite reflection. And you allow the conversation to become something more than just a transaction.
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