These are valuable notes below for reflection on “Curiosity” from a recent Harvard Business Review article titled, The Right Way to Prepare for a High-Stakes Conversation. Curiosity mindset seems to drive learning. The powerful impact and related behaviours appear in many articles and studies, including leadership potential (Egon Zehnder).
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“In a world where information is abundant but insight remains scarce, curiosity may be the ultimate competitive advantage.

If you wouldn’t fly on a plane that hadn’t had a preflight check, why head into a high-stakes conversation without first checking your most vital mindset: curiosity?

The question isn’t whether you’ll face disagreement and pushback in your next high-stakes conversation—it’s whether you’ll be mentally prepared to transform that into insight and constructive action.

Curiosity is a choice, and that choice begins before you speak your first word.

By honestly assessing where you sit on the Curiosity Curve, setting realistic intentions to move toward greater openness, and deploying targeted Curiosity Sparks, you can transform your most challenging interactions from battles to be won into opportunities for mutual discovery and collaborative problem-solving.”

According to the author, there are four surprising benefits of curiosity.
“1. When We’re Curious About People, They Like Us More.
2. Curiosity Begets Curiosity
3. Curiosity Creates Empathy
4. Curiosity Makes Us More Resilient

To get more curious, try asking yourself one of these “curiosity sparks.”
1. What might I be missing?
2. How else might someone else interpret this situation?
3. How might I be affecting them?
4. What can I learn from this person?“
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Can you build the curiosity mindset into your organisation culture?
Perhaps a good place to start with is in leadership and management development.

Sources:
* The Right Way to Prepare for a High-Stakes Conversation; Harvard Business Review; Jeff Wetzler; July 2, 2025
* 4 Surprising Benefits of Curiosity; PsychologyToday; Jeff Wetzler; December 12, 2024