964: LEADERSHIP STORIES: How to Leverage Curiosity to Create Connection as a Leader

"Sara, I tried one little thing you recommended in our session and it totally changed my interaction with a team member!"

Back story…I was leading a training for a leadership team recently and we talked about how to practice active listening in leadership.  One of the leaders decided to put one of my recommendations into action immediately (Gold Star for this leader!) and he was so excited about the results.  Following our training, he shifted his default behavior of “getting right down to business” in a one-on-one meeting to starting off a one-on-one by asking a team member an open-ended question.  This led to a great conversation and important insights between the two of them.  By getting curious before getting down to business, this leader fast-tracked trust and paved the way for open and honest communication with their team member.  He was giddy sharing this win with me.  I love it when new behaviors lead to new wins! 

Curiosity is one of the most underrated, yet most powerful, leadership skills you can develop. In this episode, we dig into how curiosity can completely shift the way you lead, communicate, and connect with others. Whether you’re managing up, collaborating across, or leading your team, curiosity opens up space for real conversation, minimizes assumptions, and builds relationships that feel grounded in care and respect. When you lead with curiosity, you create connection instead of disconnection, and you let the people around you truly shine.

In this episode, I walk you through five ways to use curiosity to become a more emotionally intelligent leader. We’ll talk about how to ask before assuming, how to get curious about motivations instead of just outcomes, and how curiosity can bridge differences when perspectives clash. You’ll also learn how to replace performance check-ins with curiosity-driven conversations that make your people feel seen and supported, and why modeling curiosity publicly builds trust and psychological safety at every level of your organization.

Ultimately, curiosity helps you become a leader who doesn’t just manage people — but inspires them. Tune in to discover how a few thoughtful questions can transform the way you collaborate, innovate, communicate, and lead.

Links Mentioned:

• [NOVEMBER 20th] Join my 90-minute Leadership Roundtable, Thriving in Leadership in Uncertain Times: saradean.com/roundtable

• [OPEN ENROLLMENT] Join Sara’s Aligned Leadership Incubator: saradean.com/aligned

• Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking

• Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks

• Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks

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