How to Lead with Curiosity
Ditch the assumptions. Ask better questions.
We all do it.
We judge.
We walk into a meeting, hear someone’s opinion, and in a split second, we decide.
“They don’t get it.” “That’s not how I’d do it.”
“Why would anyone think that’s a good idea?”
The trouble is—judgment blocks understanding.
And without understanding, leadership becomes guesswork.
The best leaders I’ve worked with—across startups, tech giants, and coaching rooms—had one thing in common: they were insatiably curious.
They didn’t walk around with answers.
They walked around with questions.
Instead of:
“Why did you miss the deadline?”
They asked:
“What got in the way?”
Instead of:
“Who’s responsible for this?”
They asked:
“How can we prevent this next time?”
These shifts sound small. But they do something powerful—they invite dialogue instead of defense.
“The important thing is not to stop questioning.” — Albert Einstein
“Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.” — Voltaire
Curiosity doesn’t mean being soft.
It means being open enough to lead from truth, not assumption.
Because when you understand why people do what they do, you can guide, coach, and collaborate far more effectively.
Here are five powerful open-ended questions to lead with curiosity:
❶ What’s your perspective on this situation?
❷ What do you think we’re missing here?
❸ How did you arrive at that approach?
❹ What would make this easier for you?
❺ If you could redesign this from scratch, what would you change?
You’re not just collecting input.
You’re building trust.
And trust is the soil where high-performing teams grow.
Let’s not be leaders who jump to conclusions.
Let’s be leaders who step into conversations with curiosity first.
Reflection:
What’s one judgment you can replace with a question this week?