Fast Company Daily How smart leaders balance urgency with curiosity
Jun 16, 2025
Discover how modern leaders face the challenge of balancing immediate demands with the need for inventive thinking. The discussion dives into the tension between high-pressure environments and creative exploration. Case studies, including Volkswagen and Theranos, reveal the importance of introducing 'speed bumps' to foster a culture of curiosity and innovative problem-solving. Learn how a work environment that embraces exploration can enhance strategic foresight.
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Urgency Suppresses Curiosity
- Rapid change, complexity, and uncertainty make curiosity essential but also suppress it in organizations.
- Urgency prioritizes speed over thoughtful questioning, harming innovation and ethical decision-making.
Examples of Curiosity Suppression
- Volkswagen's emissions scandal arose from pressure to quickly meet regulations, leading to unethical shortcuts.
- BP's rushed public reassurances during Deepwater Horizon worsened the crisis due to lack of thorough assessment.
Theranos Fraud from Speed Pressure
- Theranos rushed to market under intense pressure, ignoring scientific warnings and silencing questions.
- This led to a fraudulent collapse, showing risk of speed-over-curiosity culture.