A Curious Mind Rises to the Top

What personality traits are most beneficial for your team members leading your organization’s foray into artificial intelligence?

For its recent report on the state of artificial intelligence, The TechEd Media Group posed this question to a large group of business, education and non-profit leaders. The two most popular answers hardly surprised me; strategic thinking and analytical thinking, offered by 57% and 55% of respondents, respectively.

But the personality trait that finished third, noted by 51% of survey participants, piqued my interest, and not just for its pertinence to AI specifically, but to organizational change in general. It’s a trait referenced in recent months by three separate guests on the podcast I host each week, including the superintendent of one of the most innovative school districts in the U.S., the CEO of the 43rd largest private company in the U.S., and the CEO of the company ranked 74^th on the Fortune Global 500.

What is this personality trait in such high demand among the world’s largest and most innovative organizations?

Curiosity.

And why is curiosity on the part of those leading change and innovation such a sought-after trait?

Curious people look at the world, the problems they encounter and the future differently. They don’t take things at face value. They hear or see something new or different and instead of accepting it for what it is, they ask questions. They dig in. They go looking for answers. They productively challenge the status quo. Curiosity embodies the exact opposite of doing things the way they have always been done. Curious people are comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Mike Beighley, the Superintendent of the Whitehall School District in Whitehall, Wisconsin, has built a reputation as a disruptor when it comes to manufacturing and technology education, upending the traditional education model for the benefit of students and employers. Says Beighley of his team members who lead change, “We need passionate educators who want to prepare kids for their future. Those that are curious enough to really start digging in and figuring out what that would look like and at the same time make themselves uncomfortable.” Curious people are willing to dig for answers even when doing so is a bit uncomfortable.

For example, from time to time, as CEO of several finishing companies, I would receive an update or be presented with a report or information that didn’t completely add up. If questioning the presenter didn’t satisfy my (pausing for effect) curiosity, I would often dive into the data to allay or confirm my doubts. Doing so didn’t always lead to comfortable next steps. Sometimes I had to tactfully challenge a team member’s thinking or conclusions, but I was comfortable with making myself and others a little uncomfortable. My curiosity and willingness to challenge the conclusions of others made our companies better in the long run.

Over time, curious people tend to find themselves in positions of influence and leadership, differentiating themselves from others as they explore the zone of the uncomfortable, and taking on a bit of risk as they experiment with alternatives that might scare others away. In doing so they can find and act on opportunities for productivity and performance improvements missed by their less curious colleagues.

I asked my friend Todd Wanek, CEO of Ashley Furniture Industries, the world’s largest manufacturer of furniture, about finding the right people to lead change in the age of advancing technology and AI. Wanek seeks out curious people. “They always rise to the top. You’re always able to see them because they have a twinkle in their eye. They’re willing to try new things. They’re faster, they’re more efficient.”

Faster and more efficient. Do those sound like outcomes we might pursue in finishing? Find curious people to lead.

As for ourselves and our team members, what riches and opportunity lie ahead for those leading lives of curiosity?

Siemens USA employs 45,000 people across the United States, chalks up $19 Billion in annual revenue and its parent company ranks 74^th on the list of largest companies on the globe. A household name in finishing, many know the company for its portfolio of industrial controls and automation solutions. Barbara Humpton, the company’s high-energy and endearing CEO is a fierce advocate for employment opportunities in advanced manufacturing. She joined me in our studio recently as we recorded an episode of The TechEd Podcast. As for curious people who find their way into manufacturing careers, Humpton had this to say:

“If you’ve got curiosity and initiative, the world is yours.”