When questioned about our most valuable strengths as a worker, some attributes that typically come to mind are hardworking, intelligent, and adaptable. But often times, we forget an imperative quality that makes us not only an asset to a company, but fuels our opportunity to keep learning and growing as an individual. Curiosity is a trait that cannot be taught, and is one of the most appreciated characteristics of an employee. The ability to exercise our curiosity is a strength, which if we possess, can be a catalyst to opportunity that would be otherwise unavailable.
Curiosity is an opportunity for exploration. Exploration, by definition, is travel in or through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about or familiarize oneself with it. Curiosity sets the foundation to give us the chance to learn. We tend to think of learning as a laborious task that may be unnecessary to worry about after we have graduated all of our schooling. However, learning is an essential component to any sort of growth. We can turn the learning process to be simple and interesting by asking questions. By asking questions, we are nurturing a willingness to learn, which, sequentially will strengthen our intelligence, adaptability, and work ethic.
How can we become more curious? There are so many opportunities to discover our curiosity every day if we make it a priority. One easy way to begin this is to start asking yourself “why?” Why did this work? Why did it not? Why are we in this position? Etc. Another great opportunity to stay curious is to show interest in every department in your organization. Make it a goal to sit in on one meeting a week from another department. You may be surprised to find that the more curious you are, you’ll not only learn more, but also, you will become more fulfilled by what you learn.