Shannon Minifie, CEO of Box of Crayons and educator with a PhD in English, dives into the transformative power of curiosity in organizations. She distinguishes between 'changemaker' and 'troublemaker' curiosity, stressing the importance of fostering open questioning over complacency. Shannon shares insights on how traditional hierarchies can stifle innovation and emphasizes the need for environments that promote learning. She also offers practical strategies for leaders to overcome barriers and inspire a culture of curiosity that drives engagement and collaboration.
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insights INSIGHT
Curiosity: A Cultivated State
Curiosity is a state, not a trait, meaning it's nurtured, not innate.
While everyone claims to value curiosity, organizations often stifle it, hindering growth and innovation.
insights INSIGHT
Changemaker vs. Troublemaker Curiosity
"Troublemaker curiosity", fueled by mischief, can be disruptive.
Encourage "changemaker curiosity", which is driven by a desire to improve and innovate.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Taming the Advice Monster
Combat the "advice monster" by consciously choosing questions over immediate answers.
Embrace empathy and challenge your own perspectives to foster genuine curiosity.
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Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever
Michael Bungay Stanier
In 'The Coaching Habit,' Michael Bungay Stanier provides a straightforward and effective approach to coaching. Drawing on his extensive experience training managers worldwide, he introduces seven essential coaching questions designed to help managers unlock their team's potential. These questions include the Kickstart Question, the AWE Question, the Lazy Question, the Strategic Question, the Focus Question, the Foundation Question, and the Learning Question. The book emphasizes the importance of saying less and asking more, fostering a collaborative and empowering work environment. It combines practical advice with research in neuroscience and behavioral economics, making coaching a daily, informal part of managerial work rather than a formal event.
The Advice Trap
Michael Bungay Stanier
In 'The Advice Trap', Michael Bungay Stanier builds on the principles of his previous book, 'The Coaching Habit', to help leaders and consultants avoid the pitfalls of premature and unsolicited advice-giving. The book emphasizes the importance of taming the 'Advice Monster' within, which is driven by the beliefs that one must have the answer, be responsible for everything, and stay in control. By staying curious longer and rushing into advice-giving more slowly, leaders can foster a more engaged team, promote organizational change, and create a curiosity-driven company culture. The book provides practical tools and strategies for effective coaching, including the use of probing questions, mindfulness, and humility[2][4][5].
Shannon Minifie: Box of Crayons
Shannon is the CEO of Box of Crayons, the firm behind the best-selling books The Coaching Habit* and The Advice Trap*. Box of Crayons is a learning and development company that helps unleash the power of curiosity to create connected and engaged company cultures.
Shannon followed an unusual path to becoming CEO of Box of Crayons. Her career began in academia, a pursuit driven by her desire to be a part of conversations she thinks are important. In 2016, she embarked on a new path, starting a career in corporate learning and development. She brings to her role more than a decade of experience in education and in practicing incisive investigation.
In this conversation, Shannon and I talk about the word curiosity and the reality that not everybody thinks about that word the same way we do. We explore the distinction between troublemakers and changemakers and provide practical suggestions to inspire more curiosity inside your organization. Plus, we highlight many of the common barriers to utilizing curiosity well.
Key Points
Curiosity is a state, not a trait.
Nobody says they are against curiosity. But the truth is that they’re suspicious of it.
Four things tend to hold firms back from the benefits of changemaker curiosity:
Complacency: being used to the status quo.
Delusion: the belief that they are already good at it.
Environment: espoused values vs. what’s being done in practice because of real barriers.
The Advice Monster: too much a cultural reliance on advice-giving.
Resources Mentioned
Box of Crayons
The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever* by Michael Bungay Stanier
The Advice Trap: Be Humble, Stay Curious & Change the Way You Lead Forever* by Michael Bungay Stanier
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How to Build Psychological Safety, with Amy Edmondson (episode 404)
The Way to Be More Coach-Like, with Michael Bungay Stanier (episode 458)
How to Build a Coaching Culture, with Andrea Wanerstrand (episode 501)
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