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Priceless Perspectives — Issue #26: Leading with Curiosity

Leadership growth isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some leaders learn through practical workplace insight. Others through story. Some through Scripture. Others through the executive lens.

That’s why each weekly theme is explored through four different perspectives… so you can grow in the way that reaches your heart, your mind, and your leadership practice.


This Week’s Theme: Curiosity — The Leadership Skill That Unlocks Understanding and Better Decisions


Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack answers… they struggle because they stop asking questions. Assumptions get made. Perspectives get missed. Decisions get rushed. And over time, leaders begin to operate from what they think is true… instead of what actually is. But curious leaders slow down just enough to ask: “What might I be missing?” “What else could be true?” “Help me understand.” And that’s where things start to shift. Conversations get deeper. Trust grows stronger. Decisions get better. Because curiosity isn’t just about learning something new… it’s about seeing people, situations, and possibilities more clearly.


To explore this week’s theme, choose the lens that connects with you most or experience all four for a full, 360-degree perspective:


◆ The Shepherd’s Voice: A Heart That Seeks Understanding

◆ The Boardroom Brief: Curiosity at the Top


Because every leader eventually learns:

The moment you stop asking… is the moment you start missing.

And always remember… people are priceless!




◆ Leadership Lens


Curiosity That Strengthens Leadership


Curiosity is one of the most powerful (and most underused) skills in leadership. Not because leaders don’t care, but because many feel pressure to have the answers. Over time, that pressure can quietly replace curiosity with certainty. But the moment leaders stop asking questions, they start operating from assumptions. And in that space, misunderstandings grow, opportunities are missed, and people feel less seen. Curious leaders take a different approach. They don’t assume… they explore. They don’t rush to conclusions… they slow down to understand. And that shift changes everything.


Here are three ways curiosity strengthens your leadership:


1) Curiosity Replaces Assumptions with Understanding

When leaders assume, they fill in the gaps with what they think is true. But what we assume is often incomplete or incorrect. Curious leaders resist the urge to jump to conclusions. They ask questions, seek context, and look for what they might be missing. Instead of reacting, they explore. And in doing so, they make better decisions and avoid unnecessary friction. Because the more you understand… the better you lead.


2) Curiosity Builds Trust and Deeper Connection

When leaders ask instead of tell, something powerful happens… people feel valued. Questions like “Tell me more” or “Help me understand your perspective” communicate respect and openness. They create space for honest dialogue. Over time, that builds trust, strengthens relationships, and encourages people to speak up. Curiosity doesn’t just gather information… it creates connection.


3) Curiosity Drives Better Thinking and Stronger Results

Curious leaders don’t settle for the first answer… they keep exploring. They challenge their own thinking, invite new ideas, and remain open to different perspectives. That mindset fuels creativity, improves problem-solving, and helps teams adapt in a changing environment. Because when leaders stay curious, they don’t just maintain the status quo… they discover what’s possible.


Practicing Curiosity This Week


Curiosity grows through small, intentional moments. This week, consider:


  • Asking one more question before offering your opinion

  • Pausing in a tense moment and asking, “What might I be missing?”

  • Inviting someone’s perspective with, “How do you see this?”

  • Listening fully… without planning your response


Curiosity isn’t about having all the answers… it’s about being willing to explore.


The Leadership Ripple


When leaders lead with curiosity, something begins to shift. Conversations become more open. People feel heard and understood. Ideas surface that might have otherwise been missed. And over time, that curiosity shapes culture… creating an environment where learning, trust, and innovation can thrive. Because when leaders stay curious, they don’t just lead people… they unlock their potential.






◆ Adventures of Noah Hart


The Tugboat That Saw What Others Missed (Mystic, Connecticut)


The harbor was quiet that morning… a soft layer of fog drifting just above the water. Noah stood at the edge of the dock, watching a massive ship move slowly through the narrow channel. What caught his attention wasn’t the size of the ship… it was the small tugboat guiding it.


“That doesn’t make sense,” Noah said.


Luman flickered beside him.


“What doesn’t?”


Noah pointed.


“That thing is tiny… why is it leading something that big?”


Luman’s glow softened.


“Maybe size isn’t the point.”


Just then, a voice came from behind them.


“Good question.”


Boy with a firefly mentor and man in a hat smile at each other on a dock. A tugboat, "Mystic" sign, and lighthouse in the background.

Noah turned to see a man stepping off the tugboat, tying a rope with practiced ease.


“Name’s JP,” he said.


“Noah,” he replied. “I’m traveling the country… learning about leadership.”


JP smiled.


“Then you’re looking in the right place.”


Noah glanced back at the ship.


“I still don’t get it… shouldn’t the bigger ship be in charge?”


JP leaned against the railing.


“Let me ask you something… what do you think the captain of that ship can see from up there?”


Noah squinted through the fog.


“Not much.”


JP nodded.


“Exactly.”


He pointed toward the water.


“Out here, it’s not about who’s bigger… it’s about who can see what others can’t.”


The tugboat idled nearby, barely making a sound.


“That ship has power,” JP continued, “but it doesn’t have perspective. It relies on us to read the water, the current, the space around it.”


Noah watched as the tugboat adjusted its position ever so slightly.


“So you’re guiding it?”


JP smiled.


“We’re asking questions the ship can’t ask.”


Noah paused.


“What kind of questions?”


JP looked out across the water.


“What’s changing? What’s hidden? What don’t we see yet?”


The fog shifted just enough to reveal the narrow edge of the channel.


Boy with glowing firefly mentor points at tugboat "Hart Marine." Man in green jacket smiles by Mystic sign. Lighthouse in background.

“Out here,” JP said quietly, “if you assume… you run aground.”


Noah let that sink in.


“So curiosity keeps you from making the wrong move?”


JP shook his head slightly.


“Curiosity keeps you from thinking you already have the right one.”


Luman’s glow flickered a little brighter.


Noah looked back at the ship, then at the tugboat.


Small… but essential.


“Most leaders probably think they’re the ship,” Noah said.


JP chuckled.


“Good leaders know when to think like the tugboat.”


They stood in silence for a moment as the ship cleared the channel and disappeared into the open water.


Before he left, JP reached into a small pouch and handed Noah a few seeds.


“Seaside goldenrod,” he said. “It grows out here along the coast… where the conditions are always changing.”


Noah turned the seeds in his hand.


“It doesn’t wait for things to be perfect,” JP continued. “It adapts. It finds a way to grow in places most would overlook.”


He paused.


“Curiosity does the same thing.”


Noah nodded and found a quiet spot near the shoreline. He knelt down and pressed the seeds into the damp earth.


As he stood, a small wooden sign shimmered into view:

Seed Planted (Mystic, CT): Curiosity keeps you from running aground.

Luman hovered beside him.


“Guess there’s more to see than what’s obvious.”


Noah smiled.


“Only if you’re willing to ask.”


And as the fog slowly lifted, he carried the lesson forward:


That great leaders don’t just rely on what they know…


they stay curious enough to discover what they don’t.


A boy plants seeds near a lighthouse at sunset, guided by a man. A glowing bee on his backpack. Sign reads, "Curiosity keeps you from running aground."




◆ The Shepherd’s Voice


A Heart That Seeks Understanding


Theme Verse: “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” — Proverbs 1:5 (NIV)


Curiosity in Scripture


Throughout Scripture, wisdom is not presented as having all the answers… but as a willingness to seek, listen, and learn. Proverbs reminds us that wise people are not those who already know everything, but those who remain open to understanding more. Jesus modeled this kind of curiosity in the way He engaged with others. He asked questions, invited reflection, and met people where they were. Not to gain information, but to reveal truth and draw out the heart. Curiosity, in a biblical sense, is not about doubt… it’s about a posture of humility. It’s a recognition that we don’t see everything clearly on our own and a willingness to seek God’s wisdom in the process.


Curiosity in a Christian Workplace


In a Christian workplace, curiosity creates space for understanding, connection, and grace. When leaders assume, they risk misreading people’s intentions, motivations, or challenges. But when leaders ask, listen, and seek to understand, they reflect the heart of Christ. Curiosity sounds like: “Help me understand what you’re experiencing.” “What’s been weighing on you?” “What do you need right now?” These moments of genuine interest communicate value and care. They allow leaders to respond with wisdom instead of reaction. Curiosity doesn’t weaken leadership… it strengthens it by aligning it with truth, empathy, and discernment.


A Leader’s Prayer for Curiosity


Dear Lord,


Give me a heart that seeks to understand before it responds. Help me to slow down, ask better questions, and truly listen to those around me.


Reveal the assumptions I make without realizing it and replace them with wisdom and clarity. Teach me to approach each conversation with humility, openness, and a desire to see others as You see them.


Guard me from pride that believes I already know… and guide me toward curiosity that seeks truth.


May my leadership reflect Your patience, Your insight, and Your love in every interaction.


Amen.


One Faith-Forward Mini-Challenge


This week, before responding in a conversation, pause and ask one more question. Invite someone to share more of their perspective… and listen with the intention to understand, not just reply. Curiosity begins when we choose to seek before we speak.





◆ The Boardroom Brief


Curiosity at the Top


At the executive level, most decisions aren’t made with perfect information. They’re made with patterns, experience, and a point of view. That’s where curiosity becomes critical. Because the higher leaders rise, the more filtered the information becomes. People bring solutions instead of problems. Data gets summarized. Risk gets softened. Over time, leaders can unintentionally operate inside a version of reality that’s incomplete. Curious leaders break that pattern. They don’t just review information… they probe it.


What Changes When Leaders Stay Curious


Curiosity doesn’t replace decisiveness... it sharpens it. When leaders consistently ask better questions, a few things begin to happen:


  • Assumptions get challenged early instead of showing up as costly mistakes later

  • Signals from the front line surface faster, before they become trends

  • Diverse thinking expands the decision set, especially in complex or ambiguous situations


In contrast, when curiosity fades, decisions often become faster… but narrower.


What the Research Shows


Curiosity is increasingly being recognized as a differentiator in executive performance:


  • Research featured in Harvard Business Review shows that leaders who demonstrate curiosity are more likely to generate innovative solutions and avoid decision-making blind spots

  • A study by Center for Creative Leadership found that leaders who actively seek input and feedback are rated as more effective by their teams and peers

  • Organizations with high levels of psychological safety (often driven by leaders who ask and listen) see stronger learning, adaptability, and performance outcomes


At this level, curiosity isn’t about gathering more data… it’s about getting closer to the truth.


A Real-World Example


When Satya Nadella stepped into leadership at Microsoft, one of the most significant shifts he made was cultural. He challenged the organization to move from a “know-it-all” culture to a “learn-it-all” culture. That shift wasn’t about intelligence... it was about curiosity. Leaders were encouraged to:


  • Ask more questions

  • Seek input across teams

  • Stay open to ideas that challenged their thinking


The result?


Stronger collaboration, faster innovation, and a more adaptive organization in a rapidly changing industry.


Bottom Line


At the executive level, the biggest risk isn’t a lack of intelligence… it’s a lack of curiosity. Leaders who assume they have the full picture often move quickly but miss critical insight. Leaders who stay curious slow down just enough to see more, ask better, and decide smarter. In the end, it’s not the leader with the most answers who creates the most value…

it’s the one who keeps asking the questions others stop asking.





Join the Movement That Leads with Curiosity


Curiosity doesn’t happen by accident… it’s a choice leaders make every day. In its absence, assumptions take over, conversations stay surface-level, and leaders begin operating from what they think is true instead of what actually is. But when leaders lead with curiosity, something shifts... questions replace assumptions, understanding deepens, and people feel heard, valued, and more willing to contribute. Over time, that curiosity shapes culture, creating an environment where trust, learning, and better decisions can thrive.


If this issue encouraged or challenged you, consider sharing it with a leader who is committed to growing… not just in what they know, but in how they seek to understand. And if you want to continue growing in people-first, servant-hearted leadership, we would love to walk alongside you.


Learn more at: nationalald.com


Start a conversation: Book a 30-minute exploration call



Because in workplaces where curiosity is present, something powerful happens…

Leaders don’t just make better decisions. They create better understanding.

And always remember…people are priceless!


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