We talk to Dr Alison Horstmeyer about curiosity and its wide-ranging benefits. Alison is a former Fortune 500 executive turned talent development facilitator, executive coach and humanistic researcher. She is considered one of the pioneering humanistic researchers in workplace curiosity.
2:33 - why transition from Fortune 500 executive to research?
3:17 - relationships were the secret sauce in success.
4:22 - initial interest was in anxiety in the workplace.
4:54 - came across curiosity while studying mindfulness.
5:51 - what is curiosity?
6:56 - curiosity gives psychological, emotional and social flexibility.
7:53 - not "if" but "how" you are curious.
9:28 - curiosity can show up in different ways.
10:08 - we pre-asses before exploring the unknown.
11:11 - curiosity is active exploration.
11:32 - curiosity requires openness.
12:11 - the different facets of curiosity.
12:37 - it's ok to not know something.
13:04 - active exploration and immersion.
13:20 - openness means letting go of the familiar.
13:42 - it's not always joyful exploration.
13:57 - curiosity requires stress tolerance.
14:22 - the facets of openness and stress tolerance are most beneficial to workplace.
14:47 - relationship between curiosity and humility.
14:59 - curiosity requires vulnerability.
15:53 - to feel more free we have to feel more exposed.
16:02 - curiosity and anxiety.
17:50 - how not knowing creates psychological safety.
19:56 - using curiosity to become an approachable boss.
20:29 - you cannot get to empathy without curiosity.
21:57 - curiosity is what allows us to make people feel understood.
22:31 - use curiosity to question the stories we tell ourselves about others.
24:11 - how can we become more curious?
25:43 - curiosity starts within.
26:17 - how curiosity can make us more authentic.
28:15 - counting the cost of curiosity.
29:41 - what is psychological safety.
29:52 - obstacles to curiosity.
31:26 - how curiosity research has changed Alison.
33:27 - creating a culture of curiosity.
34:23 - conformity is bad for curiosity and wellbeing.
34:53 - creating environments of psychological safety.
35:56 - celebrating failures and budgeting learning time.
36:34 - budgeting time for people to learn whatever they want.
37:05 - making it OK for people to say "I don't know".
37:49 - should we stop rewarding success?
40:30 - how are you curious?
44:15 - overcoming low stress tolerance.
46:26 - fear of failure.
47:48 - fear setting.
48:29 - scenario crafting™ (Trademark of Intrinsic Curiosity, LLC).Â
49:05 - final thoughts on curiosity.
You can find more detailed show notes with references at: https://candourpodcast.com/dr-alison-horstmeyer