Learner Mindset, Curiosity & The Art of Inquiry
In today’s fast-moving, ever-evolving world, curiosity and inquiry are essential skills for successful leadership. Unfortunately, I have found they often get more lip service than application. It makes sense, as how we desire to show up and how we actually show up - particularly in the throes of leadership - aren’t always the same. Are you nodding in agreement?
Besides, many of us got to where we are today by knowing the answers. We rose up the ranks or watched others rise up the ranks in a “knowledge is power” paradigm, where both knowledge and power were closely held by a select few at the top.
Thankfully, we are in the midst of a major shift in how we lead ourselves and our businesses. I refer to it as a “conscious leadershift.” In this developing landscape, the leaders who rise to the top do so by inspiring and collaborating instead of commanding and controlling. Crucially, they possess a “learner” mindset, empowering themselves and their teams through curiosity and inquiry.
THE WORK
Making the Inner Shift:
At least once a week, I tell a client, “Your job, as the leader, is not to know all the answers; your job is to hire great people and ask great questions.” I am not so much telling them something new as I am holding up a mirror to their behavior and reminding them of another way. Regardless, making this shift is more complex than it sounds, as it involves unlearning old ways of thinking and unwinding old patterns of behavior.
In working with hundreds of executives, I have found that most new leaders believe they should know everything and fear that asking too many questions may expose their vulnerabilities or diminish their power. Conversely, seasoned leaders often fall into the trap of thinking they do know everything and, therefore, don’t ask many questions and stifle their curiosity. In both groups, this conflation of knowledge with power not only undermines trust and confidence but also marginalizes and disengages employees and teams.
Developing or strengthening your learner mindset requires a journey from ego to humility, shedding the need to always be right in favor of striving to find the right solutions. Cultivating a Beginner’s Mind is also helpful so that we can release our preconceived notions and approach situations with a fresh perspective and open mind. Embracing vulnerability is also crucial, as it helps us seek and digest feedback and engage comfortably in brain-storming and collaboration.
By explicitly asking others, “What do you think?” leaders …can get the feedback needed to improve thinking and gain the benefits of divergent perspectives. Still, breaking free of the leadership bubble can be difficult – it takes true humility. – Bill Marriott
Fear and stress can also hinder a leader’s capacity for curiosity and inquiry. Leading humans and organizations is harder than ever, as businesses face an unprecedented amount of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). Far too often leaders operate from a place of “amygdala hijack,” which drives them to seek safety and control. Yet, paradoxically, it's during these times of stress that soliciting input and brainstorming collectively becomes imperative.
Cultivating mindfulness and emotional intelligence is key to creating the space to allow the rational mind to come back online and generate powerful questions. Interestingly, interrupting an amygdala hijack and engaging the neocortex—a hub for decision-making and emotional control—can be achieved through self-questioning: What is the next best step? How is this thought serving me? What is the most compassionate response in this moment?
Another curiosity shortfall among leaders and managers occurs when team members surface problems. It’s so easy to jump right into fixer mode, influenced by an intoxicating blend of dopamine (satisfaction from having a solution), cortisol (urgency to address the issue), and oxytocin (reward from helping a colleague). In these moments, telling someone what to do rarely helps them in the way that pausing and asking great questions does. In fact, it often cheats them out of an opportunity to learn and grow. As the saying goes, teach a man to fish…
Take a moment to reflect on the chart above, keeping in mind that we all have moments when we operate as a “knower”. Directing, telling, and fixing are sometimes part of leading (and life). Our aim isn't to judge ourselves, but rather to foster awareness and the ability to approach situations differently.
Am I often afraid of being wrong?
When I am stressed, do I mostly move toward control or curiosity?
Do I often worry about looking weak or dumb if I don’t have the answer?
How much do I worry about what people will think if I change my mind?
How often, and in what situations, do I show up as a Knower?
How often, and in what situations, do I show up as a Learner?
When team members bring me challenges, do I mostly try to fix or coach?
A great way to shift how you show up as a leader is to reflect on the following at the end of each day: “What was my questions-to-statements ratio?” This simple check-in drives awareness and provides a great way to measure progress.
“If a leader wants to create a climate of trust in which truth is heard it requires a leader to increase one’s ‘questions-to-statements’ ratio”. – Jim Collins
Understanding the Power (and Pillars) of Inquiry
Mastering the art of inquiry goes hand-in-hand with cultivating curiosity. Great leaders are great learners, and great learners ask great questions. The power of inquiry-driven leadership is profound. It starts with radical self-inquiry, the cornerstone of self-awareness, authenticity, and growth. It expands to asking thoughtful questions of others, helping deepen relationships, creating a sense of belonging, and becoming a catalyze of growth and development for team members. Finally, it creates a culture of inquiry that bolsters creativity and adaptability and propels innovation forward.
The future of your business will not be determined by how good your answers are, but how good your questions are.” – Dr. Marilee Adams, Author
To demystify the practice of asking impactful questions, we categorize inquiry into three essential pillars, each accompanied by illustrative questions to spark reflection and dialogue.
Personal:
Check-ins and assessments, as well as deeper reflection questions. (Note: too many leaders neglect self-inquiry and reflection (learn why here).
How am I feeling right now?
What is my internal weather report?
What am I learning in this moment?
How can I be a better leader today?
How can I make my team /company better?
Interpersonal:
Check-ins, coaching, and 1-1 questions, as well as questions to spark reflection in your people and teams.
What’s your biggest challenge right now?
What options are you exploring? How can I help?
This pillar also includes questions to help navigate disagreements, hard conversations, and conflicts. (broken out here as it is a common coaching topic)
What is the outcome you are seeking?
What does success look like to you?
Walk me through why this is a priority for you.
What can we do to combine the best of our thinking?
Organizational:
Innovation, strategy, and critical-thinking questions.
What should we, as a company, be doing more, less, better, or different?
What if we could implement any solution, what would we go for?
If we had no resources or time constraints, what would we do?
Where can we better optimize our resources to drive growth and/or profitability?
Take a moment to reflect upon your inquiry skills. Ask yourself (we are practicing in real time here!):
What category of questions am I more or less skilled at? Why?
Where should I focus time and effort to improve my questioning skills?
Practice, of course, is vital to honing the art of meaningful questioning.
Becoming an Inquiry Expert
Elevating your ability to pose excellent questions is a journey of presence and intention. Below are core principles for effective inquiry:
Words Matter: Not all questions are created equal. Steer clear of initiating queries with "why," as it can unintentionally prompt defensiveness (critical thinking and problem-solving frameworks like The 5 Whys are excluded from this rule). Phrases like "Tell me more about your decision to…" and "I’m curious to learn more about…" serve as excellent alternatives.
Question Type Matters: Prioritize open-ended questions that promote discovery and dialogue.
Delivery Matters: Be mindful of the tone and energy behind your questions. Inquiry from a place of presence, curiosity, and openness is most effective for creating a safe place for sharing feelings, beliefs, and ideas.
Listening Matters: The effectiveness of your questions is inherently linked to your ability to listen. Engage in active listening to truly hear and understand the perspectives being shared.
The Follow-up Matters: Don’t assume you interpreted everything correctly, and don’t be afraid to ask for more detail. Reflecting back what someone said and asking them to “say more” / “tell me more” are helpful. In situations charged with emotions or strong opinions, acknowledging and validating those feelings can foster a more constructive and positive dialogue. In problem-solving and brainstorming sessions, try using “Yes, and” over “Yes, but.” Find the 10% you can agree with and build upon others’ ideas.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Fostering a culture of curiosity and inquiry within an organization is truly invaluable. It starts with leaders steering away from the traditional leadership paradigm and adopting a more conscious approach that prioritizes growth, collaboration, belonging, and innovation.
As a leadership coach and a parent, I am encouraged that many of today’s schools are nurturing the development of future generations of conscious leaders. For instance, my son's elementary school spotlights inquiry-based education, which emphasizes active questioning over passive learning. It also prioritizes social and emotional skills, teaches "whole-body listening,” and integrates reflection into daily routines.
It's possible that within a generation or two, we will have made significant strides in the "conscious leadershift". Just imagine the profound impact of a shared commitment to developing a learner mindset, cultivating curiosity, asking meaningful questions, and actively listening. This transformative shift would strengthen our bonds with ourselves and each other and significantly improve our capacity to collaborate, problem-solve, and innovate across organizations, communities, and the broader world.
"In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists." – Eric Hoffer
Want more questions and prompts for checking in with yourself and your team?
Download the FounderForward Guide to Asking Great Interpersonal Questions