Eight Exercises For Leaders To Build A Culture Of Curiosity At Work

One of the hardest parts of building a culture of curiosity in the workplace is getting leaders to take part in training. Leaders already carry heavy schedules, so they often hesitate to commit to another training session unless they see real value in it. The way to spark interest is by presenting workshops as practical labs. The workshops can be more appealing because they are short, focused sessions where leaders test how their actions affect workplace culture. Each leader leaves with actions they can easily implement to improve the culture of curiosity.

How Can Leaders Address Fear In The Workplace?

Fear is one of the most common barriers to curiosity. Many leaders hesitate just like their employees, worried about looking like they do not know everything. This exercise begins by having leaders write down a time when they stayed silent out of fear. They then share the story in small groups and talk about what was lost. Next, groups brainstorm how the situation might have changed if curiosity had been encouraged. A facilitator might ask: What would the team have gained if the question had been raised? What small signals can a leader give that make it safer to speak up? Fear limits growth, so leaders must work to recognize how their own fear has impacted their willingness to offer ideas or ask questions.

How Can Leaders Challenge Their Assumptions?

Assumptions, or the things we tell ourselves, can be dangerous because they limit options. Leaders can be divided into groups and given a workplace statement such as “employees only leave for higher pay.” The task is to create a list of as many opposing arguments as possible. The facilitator might ask: Did your perspective change after hearing the opposing arguments? How do your assumptions guide your choices? What opportunities are missed when an assumption goes unquestioned? By recognizing assumptions and replacing them with questions, leaders see how quickly innovative ideas appear.

How Can Leaders Balance Technology To Support Curiosity?

Technology can both help and harm curiosity. To show if leaders are over-utilizing it, ask them to solve a problem without laptops, apps, or phones. The results are often more creative than expected. To show if they are under-utilizing it, have leaders recall times when they avoided using a new software program or system. The facilitator might ask: What kinds of things do you rely on technology to do without knowing how it does it? This is an especially relevant discussion now with AI. What things can you do to ensure you keep up to date with learning new technology adopted within the organization? Leaders leave recognizing boundaries, like limiting over-use of tools or carving out short times for learning the foundation behind new technologies.

How Can Leaders Shape The Environment For Curiosity?

Environment is created by the people who have influenced us, from teachers to past bosses to colleagues today. Leaders can be asked to list situations where people made them feel safe to ask questions and times when others held them back. Then have them write down specific comments or behaviors that still stick with them. In breakout conversations, they share what they noticed and how those voices still affect their choices. This reflection shows leaders the impact of human interactions that either encourage or shut down curiosity. With that awareness, leaders are better able to create a supportive environment for their own teams.

How Can Leaders See The Impact Of Their Responses?

Role play is a simple but powerful way to reveal the effect of leader responses. One leader can act as a manager, another as an employee with a new idea. In the first scenario, the manager dismisses the idea quickly. In the second, the manager encourages it with a few curious questions. After swapping roles, leaders describe how each response felt. The facilitator then asks: What impact would this have on motivation? Would the employee share ideas again in the future? Leaders usually realize that their tone and reaction in a single moment can make or break trust.

How Can Leaders Redesign Workplace Processes?

Processes can either create space for questions or block them. Leaders can map out a routine such as a weekly meeting. They highlight steps where curiosity is welcome and steps where it is ignored. Once gaps are identified, they brainstorm small adjustments. Examples include saving five minutes at the end of each meeting for open questions or rotating who starts the discussion with a thought-provoking prompt. Leaders see that curiosity can be built into processes with efficiency.

How Can Leaders Envision A Curiosity-Driven Future?

Ask leaders to write two short headlines about their company five years from now. The first describes what might happen if curiosity is ignored. The second describes what could happen if curiosity is encouraged. Headlines are shared with the group, then the facilitator asks: What choices today would lead to the positive version? Leaders often identify what would need to be true for their goals to be met. This includes clear, near-term actions such as changing how they recognize people or setting aside more space for employee input. This makes the long-term value of curiosity more concrete.

How Can Leaders Build The Habit Of Asking Questions?

If you have ever watched improv, you know that some exercises include having one person ask a question to which the other person asks a question back. There really are no answers provided, but it gets into some interesting areas. In a slightly different take, put together some small group coaching circles to help leaders practice curiosity. Groups of three can be formed. One person should share a challenge for two minutes. The other two can only respond with open questions for five minutes. No advice or solutions are allowed. Afterward, they reflect on how much insight came from the questions alone. Facilitators can supply sample prompts such as: What assumptions are behind this? What resources might help? Leaders leave with ready-to-use questions and the reminder that curiosity often uncovers better solutions than quick answers.

Why Leaders Should Practice Curiosity In Workshops

Workshops succeed when leaders perceive them as practical, simple, and repeatable. When you have leaders test practices in a safe space, that demonstrates the value of those actions before they bring them back to the workplace. For curiosity to become a daily behavior that drives engagement, innovation, and long-term success, leaders need to recognize the value of it and spend time in a safe space learning how to bring curiosity-improving habits back to their teams.