| The Curiosity Shortage |
|
Evan Wise
Over the years there has been a shortage of curiosity. That is over the years of one's life, and over the years of the life of our businesses and country. Wow - that’s a lot of lost curiosity.
When we were young, and even when our businesses were young, we viewed the world as a new and wonderful place with lots of opportunities. We could lie in the grass at night and look at the stars with wonder, amazement and curiosity. Our curiosity forced us to deepen our connections with world.
We could open the doors to our business and rush to talk to everyone about our new endeavor. This forced us to deepen connections with our communities and the marketplace. It allowed us to take an active and imaginative role in shaping the future. As we mature, we take so much for granted. The stars and even customers become routine parts of our everyday lives.
There is a relationship between success and curiosity, however. The best sales people have a natural curiosity about people. The best buyers have a natural curiosity about fashion, color and style. The best accountants (brace yourself for this) even have a curiosity about business finances and the way a statement relates to reality.
Whether you use a consultant, an outside advisor, or you get away and are able to stoke the creative flames in your gut on your own, make sure you remain curious about lots of things in your business. Make sure you encourage curiosity in your staff and even your customers. Are you curious as to why customers aren’t using you to fulfill their needs? Are you curious as to why employees are not working very hard? Are you curious as to how to increase profits?
New, exciting and profitable endeavors start with some form of curiosity. Wal-Mart started when Sam Walton was curious if he could build a superstore in the country and draw from a 40-mile radius. Apple started with curiosity about whether everyone would want a computer in his or her home. The curiosity about glue that wouldn’t permanently stick led to sticky-notes. After all, he could have just tossed the bad batch in the trash!
The bottom line is that you need curiosity in your business to survive and grow. If you can’t generate enough curiosity internally, find a source outside. If you are curious where to look, give us a call.
|
