One of the most common questions I hear when interviewing candidates is:

“What will make me successful in this role?”

My answer is always the same: Be curious.

Yes, skills, education, and credentials all matter, but curiosity is what sets someone apart.

Curious employees ask questions, dig deeper, and seek to understand not just how to do their job, but why their work matters. They don’t wait for answers, they go looking for them. They don’t just follow the process, they ask whether it’s the right one.

✨ Ask questions - even the basic ones.

✨ Be thoughtfully nosy - yes, in a good way!

✨ Look for new ways to contribute and improve.

✨ Work to understand the business, the team, and the industry.

Curiosity creates better employees, but it also creates better leaders.

In HR and business leadership, we often feel the pressure to have all the answers. To solve quickly. To assume we already know. But the best leaders don’t rush to fix, they pause to ask.

Try these instead of jumping in:

❓ What’s your perspective on this issue?

❓ What have you tried already, and what worked or didn’t?

❓ How can I support you?

Curiosity builds trust, strengthens relationships, and leads to more thoughtful, lasting solutions. It opens us to learning, bridges gaps in understanding, and invites others to share openly.

So whether you're onboarding a new hire, coaching a team member, or partnering with a CEO on strategy...bring your curiosity! Ask the questions that uncover insight. Seek perspectives beyond your own.

Curiosity is not a weakness. It's a leadership superpower.