What Was It that Killed the Cat?

They say that “curiosity killed the cat.” That may be true, but perhaps that’s why they supposedly come equipped with nine lives…

One of the most curious and successful people ever was the late co-founder of Apple Steve Jobs. Apple’s Chief Design Officer Jony Ives explained in the Wall Street Journal that Jobs “was without doubt the most inquisitive human I have ever met. His insatiable curiosity was not limited or distracted by his knowledge or expertise, nor was it casual or passive.  It was ferocious, energetic and restless.  His curiosity was practiced with intention and rigor.”

How curious are you in your business?  Ives goes on to explain that “our curiosity begs that we learn. And for Steve, wanting to learn was far more important than wanting to be right.” We can utilize curiosity to challenge others’ limiting views of the world.  Entrepreneurs and other leaders often create real value by questioning current belief systems. Entrepreneurial business coach Dan Sullivan states “Opportunities for entrepreneurial innovation and profit are increasingly found in the failure of bureaucracy.” 

Inc. magazine states that curious workers are good for business.  One prime example of this is with 3M Corporation, whose employees are instructed to spend 15% of their time experimenting with the development of new products. How much time are you spending developing new ideas and systems within your business? This is not a time to “play scared!” All of our businesses will be facing additional challenges as we move forward, and I think the cost of this experimentation is vastly outweighed by the benefits of being curious. It is noteworthy that employees who are curious will positively impact their coworkers. If that is true, then imagine the positive impact of adapting this new approach.

Are you positioned to succeed? Remember, if you don’t determine a plan for your business and life, guess what?  Someone else will! If I can assist you on this process or in seeking increased efficiencies, contact me today.

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!