Trends Contributors Opinion did all that Curiosity Business Briefs Business People Almanac
June 17-30, 2021
The Business Times
Page 21
COMING ATTRACTIONS
n The Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction has scheduled events offering information about valuations and startups. A free business valuation presentation is set for 2 to 3:30 p.m. June 29 at the center, 2591 Legacy Way. The presentation will cover listing prices, acquisition financing and selling within an industry. Upcoming business startup workshops are scheduled for 1 to 3:30 p.m. July 7 and 9 to 11:30 a.m. July 20. The workshops will cover the business planning process, including financing options, licensing requirements and legal structures. Admission is $55, which also includes admission to Fast Trac classes at the center. For more information about upcoming events, services and programs offered at the center, call 243-5242 or visit the website at https://gjincubator.org. n A free six-week online course will offer information about starting a child care business. The Leading Edge course is scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays June 22 to July 27. The course is designed to help entrepreneurs in the child care industry gain an understanding of business fundamentals, including legal structures, accounting and marketing. Business consultants will offer continued training and support. The course is limited to 20 participants. To register or obtain more information, contact the North Metro Denver Small Business Develipment Center through the website at https://northmetrosbdc.com. n The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its next quarterly membership luncheon for noon June 17 at the Bookcliff Country Club, 2730 G Road. The event will include a presentation by Shane Kinkennon on business leadership. Admission is $20 for chamber members, $25 for others. To register for or obtain more information about chamber events, call 242-3214 or visit https://gjchamber.org. n The Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce has scheduled its annual banquet for 5:30 to 10 p.m. July 31 at the Fruita Community Center, 324 N. Coulson St. Individual tickets for chamber members sell for $50. Sponsored tables for eight sell for $500. To register for or obtain more information about chamber events, call 858-3894 or visit https://fruitachamber.org.
Research reveals benefits of promoting curiosity in workplace
You’ve likely heard curiosity killed the cat, but there’s more to the story. Francesa Gino, a Harvard Business School professor and researcher, found a treasure trove of benefits organizations enjoy when leaders promote curiosity in the workplace. Among them, we find such gems as: n Better decision-making. Curiosity helps us avoid default explanations confirming what we already believe as well as conclusion-jumping based on stereotypes. n More creativity and innovation. From artists on Etsy to workers in a call center, people who score high on measures of curiosity also Rebecca score high on measures of creativity Weitzel and customer service. In addition, curiosity relates to better overall performance as determined by supervisors. n Less conflict. Curiosity fosters empathy and interest in others. This paves the way for better interactions and fewer conflicts between people in a group or team. n Improved team performance. Curiosity improves communication and active listening among team members, which contributes to improved results. To benefit from this bounty, leaders must first recognize that while most say they want team members to ask questions and discover new territory, most organizations are structured in ways that discourage such actions. Two things strangle curiosity in the workplace: fear and our tendency to overvalue efficiency. Fear is typically shaped as a belief that curious team members are more difficult to manage, cause conflict and increase costs. This belief causes leaders to impulsively reject new ideas — even good ones — and remain tethered to a past where businesses wither and die. Efficiency might have reigned supreme in the industrial age by helping factories reduce costs and increase profits. Now, however, overvaluing efficiency blinds us to new trends and solutions that, if explored and acted upon, could propel us into the future. Over time, the pressure organizations exert on people to work fast and hit short-term targets crowds out time and energy for thinking and innovating. To overcome these challenges and cultivate curiosity, leaders should ask more questions, hire curious people and promote learning goals. Consider the following suggestions: n Ask more questions. Eric Schmidt, former chief executive officer of Google, once said, “We run this company on questions, not answers.” Rather than show up to team meetings with a PowerPoint or pre-baked ideas, ask questions. What is one
thing you know that I don’t know about (fill in the blank)? What is one thing I can do to make things better for you and our customers? What is one thing we should pursue or do differently to remain relevant? Then listen. Show you listened by incorporating answers in follow-up communications. Credit team members’ suggestions for any related initiatives. Operationalize the process of asking “why is that?” five times in a row to get beyond surface explanations for an issue and uncover the root cause. n Hire curious people. It’s reasonable to believe hiring for experience guarantees future performance. A recent analysis of 81 independent studies published in Personnel Psychology showed there’s virtually no relationship between pre-hire experience and performance or turnover. Just because someone has spent years doing a particular job doesn’t guarantee they’ve done it well. It’s equally possible they’ve developed bad habits, lost enthusiasm or failed to upgrade their skills to keep pace with evolving industry standards. Hire for curiosity instead. The ability to learn is the metaskill of our time. And curiosity precedes learning. To screen for curiosity, pay as much attention to the types of questions candidates ask as the answers they give. Ask candidates what excites them about the future of their job or industry. Use validated curiosity assessments. Post the job with a bit of obscure trivia that might pique the interest of the curious. n Promote learning goals. Just as setting a goal to reduce consumption of Pepsi works better for weight loss than setting a goal to lose 10 pounds. A body of research shows that in the workplace, such learning goals as building skills, increasing competence or committing to new practices lead to better results than results-focused goals. Consider rewarding learning behaviors as much as results. Hold supervisors accountable for helping team members develop learning goals. Invest in coaching for key team members. Hire subject matter experts to train your team. If you’re uncertain whether acting on these suggestions will yield results, start with one: get curious. Although you’ve heard curiosity killed the cat, you might not know satisfaction brought it back. Perhaps satisfying your curiosity can bring back your organization, too.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
defeat the Colorado Treatment of Animals Initiative on the 2022 election ballot. Activities on June 23 will include a current issues and awards breakfast followed by the business session. The convention also will include a reception and banquet with live music and dancing. The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association serves as an advocate for a growing and profitable beef industry in the state. F
Rebecca Weitzel is president and co-founder of Good Life Wellness Solutions, which provides workplace well-being programs and an online wellness platform tailored to small businesses. She also serves as director of people operations at Hilltop Community Resources. With a master’s degree in organizational psychology and training in behavior design, she helps people and organizations thrive. Contact Weitzel at rebecca@goodlifewellnesssolutions.com or rebeccaw@htop.org or visit the website located at www.GoodLifeWellnessSolutions.com. F
Colorado Cattlemen’s Association convention coming to Grand Junction The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association has scheduled policy discussions, a trade show and symposium as part of its upcoming convention in Grand Junction. The convention is set for June 21 to 23 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel at 743 Horizon Drive. The event will open June 21 with grassroots policy development through 10 steering committees. Participants will share their perspectives on policies affecting the association and industry. The event will continue June 22 with networking
To register for obtain more information about the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association 2021 convention, call (303) 431-6422 or log on to www.coloradocattle.org. at a trade show followed by an annual ranching legacy sypmposium. The symposium will include sessions on strategic partnerships and alignments as well as efforts to
