Be Curious, Not Judgmental

We are all guilty of making assumptions about people and situations, whether we mean to or not. It is human nature to try and make sense of things quickly, which means we often jump to conclusions without having all of the facts. While this does help us process information, it can also lead to a number of problems. The main problem is that our judgment is not always correct. Instead of relying on our judgment, we should rely on our curiosity. Effective leaders are curious about a lot of things, such as other people, opportunities, innovative solutions, and more.

There will always be more to learn. By allowing our curiosity to guide us, we are inviting growth into our lives. It helps us seek to understand rather than to critique. The phrase, “Be curious, not judgmental,” applies to how we approach other people, situations, and even ourselves. It is important to have patience and realize that what we see or feel is not always the full picture.

Think about this situation from a leadership perspective: you have an employee who has never been late to work. In fact, they usually show up early and with a smile on their face. However, this week they have been late to several meetings, and they showed up an hour late to the office on Tuesday. Would you assume that they don’t care about their job anymore? Or, would you be curious about what they have going on that has caused this unexpected shift in their promptness? Before you reprimand them for this new behavior, it’s worth having a conversation with them and asking questions. There may be an underlying cause for this change, and it is more than okay to give people grace at times. At the end of the day, we are all human.

Now, think about this next situation from a personal perspective. You have been feeling exhausted lately. You have no motivation to do your work, and you’re not feeling driven to do things outside of work that usually excite you. Instead of getting upset with yourself for these feelings, consider what may be contributing to them. Just because you feel hopeless does not mean that you are hopeless. What has changed recently that has you feeling that way? And, is there something that you can do about it?

The next time you are inclined to make assumptions about something or someone, take a moment to consider alternative possibilities. Ask questions instead of leaning on your initial judgment, and always remember to lead with curiosity.

-Meghan Slaughter