“The most exiting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries is not ‘Eureka!’ (I found it!) but ‘That’s funny….’ ”
- Isaac Asimov
In his book, The Stuff of Thought, Steven Pinker reminds us of this when he discusses the way children learn language.
Children have an amazing ability to learn complex languages. They also have a profound sense of wonder. And if we see the world though their eyes, we can once again share that great exhilaration of new discoveries. We all know people who have never lost that sense of adventure; that spirit of exploration; the ability to challenge convention in a positive way. And they are the ones who so often exude a sense of energy and life – and sheer engagement with their world.
So, if we agree that engaged employees are not just happy automatons, grinning inanely at their computer screens and smiling vapidly at customers while they go (contentedly) through the motions of daily work, then we have to embrace the concept of questioning. Questions that quite often start with the thought, ‘That’s funny…’. In fact, I would go further and say that questions are the first signs of engagement. Because if you fail to question what you’re doing, if you aren’t thinking about how things could be done better, then you must simply be going through the motions.
Curious employees are engaged employees. Or rather, engaged employees are, by definition, curious. They are constantly seeking answers:
- How can I help solve this customer’s problem?
- Why do we do this in 4 stages when it could be done in 3?
- What is the best way to do a great job for our customer whilst still managing costs?
- How can we work together better as a team?
the questions should be endless… And sometimes they will be uncomfortable. That’s when things get really interesting.
The employee who questions isn’t always going to be right. Yes, there are times when questions can be disruptive, and possibly even malicious (although employees who ask malicious questions do not fall into this discussion and may be dealt with in a future post). Many organisations actively discourage questioning behaviour because of the potential for discomfort. Perhaps its easier just to keep doing things the old, less effective way. Easier than it is to acknowledge that things weren’t operating at peak and face that scary monster called ‘Change!’.
But that sort of attitude comes at a price. If we don’t foster the habit of questioning in our organisations we risk building the ‘Stepford Wives’ version of business. If we do that, then we stifle many whose positive questioning talents could be developed. And even worse, we lose those people who have a strong drive to do things a better way.
They are the ones who change the world. They are the ones who share great ideas. They are the ones who are our authentic leaders – whatever their position in the organisation. They are the most valuable people in your organisation. And if you have any of them, nurture them! Help them to grow their curiosity and actively support their questioning.
Remember, every question is the first step towards greater engagement – you really do want as many as you can get!
What have your best questions been? What was your ‘That’s funny…’ moment and where did it lead? We’d love to know.
Article by Vandy Massey
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