What’s really stopping your team from being more innovative, and how do you fix it?

In this episode, Bill is joined by Dr. Diane Hamilton, author of Cracking the Curiosity Code, to explore why curiosity, not just intelligence or skills, is the real key for innovation, engagement, and performance. Together, they dig into the hidden habits that stifle curiosity in leaders and teams, and how to cultivate a culture that asks better questions and solves better problems.

Dr. Diane Hamilton is a behavioral expert, researcher, and speaker whose groundbreaking work on curiosity has helped transform how companies approach culture, communication, and leadership. She’s the creator of the Curiosity Code Index and a leading voice on the future of work.

Topics explored in this episode:

(05:10) The Curiosity Crisis

*Why curiosity declines as we age

*How lack of curiosity hurts innovation at work

*The four fear-based factors that suppress curiosity: fear, assumptions, tech, and environment

(12:50) Formula 1 Efficiency vs. Hospital Mismanagement

*What happens when you bring in outside perspectives to improve your broken systems

*How far would people go to blindly follow rules?

(16:50) How Leaders Kill Curiosity

*Common leadership habits that discourage curiosity without realizing it

*The difference between curiosity and chaos: structure still matters

(31:30) Can Curiosity Be Measured?

*There is science behind measuring curiosity with the Curiosity Code Index

(35:10) Coaching Curiosity into Leadership

*Practical ways to coach and develop more curious thinking

*The link between curiosity and emotional intelligence

(40:50) The ROI of Curiosity

*Curiosity isn’t just nice to have, it brings in real revenue growth.

Thanks to Dr. Diane Hamilton for being on the show!

Connect with Diane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdianehamilton

Learn more about her work: https://drdianehamilton.com

Get her book: Cracking the Curiosity Code – https://drdianehamilton.com/cracking-the-curiosity-code-book

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.

Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.

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This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

Weekly Roundup 11/21/25 (Quantum FUD, DAT hangover, stablecoin duration risk) (EP.686)

On The Brink with Castle Island

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