Stay Curious: Why Digital Leaders Must Be in Love with Questions
Apr 27, 2025
In this fast-paced, AI-driven, always-connected world, one quality stands out more than ever for leaders navigating the digital landscape: curiosity. Not just a casual, “Hmm, that’s interesting,” but a deep, relentless desire to learn, question, and explore. I feel like this is part of my DNA. I drove my mom nuts as a child because I questioned everything. I wanted to know HOW things worked. WHAT happened if I tried something I had never tried before and WHY things had to be a certain way. I failed a lot, but I succeeded at creating an insatiable thirst for CURIOSITY which has served me well throughout my career.
Gone are the days when having all the answers made you the smartest person in the room. Today, the most effective digital leaders are the ones asking the best questions.
“In the world of Internet customer service, it’s important to remember your competitor is only one mouse click away.” – Doug Warner former CEO JP Morgan
This quote hits home for digital leaders. When everything can change with a single click or swipe, staying curious about customer needs, tech trends, and your own blind spots becomes your competitive edge.
Curiosity = A Digital Superpower
In her book Multipliers, Liz Wiseman talks about the power of leaders who are “genius makers”—those who get the best out of others by encouraging exploration. She writes, “Curious leaders stretch their teams to go beyond what they know and what they’re comfortable with.” In a digital space, this means trying out new platforms, listening to fresh voices, and asking what might work instead of what has worked.
While I see this as an exciting thing, it’s not easy to get everyone on our team to see things this way. Fear often gets in the way. People sometimes think, I can’t change. I’ve always done it this way, and I’ve been successful. Why should I change? My answer is … would you like to be OBSOLETE? If we don’t change, we risk our companies not existing. Have you seen any Blockbuster or Kodak ads lately? NOPE.
Curiosity also fuels innovation. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, curiosity boosts job performance, reduces decision-making errors, and encourages more open communication. HBR writes:
“When curiosity is triggered, employees think more deeply and rationally about decisions and come up with more creative solutions.”
— Harvard Business Review, "The Business Case for Curiosity." 2018
Ask More. Assume Less.
Do you remember what your mom told you about assuming? In case you forgot, it makes an ass out of you and me. Digital leadership doesn’t just mean knowing your analytics dashboard or the latest AI tool—it’s about adapting and listening. The best leaders I’ve worked with (and let’s be honest, the ones I remember the most) were the ones who said, “Tell me more,” instead of, “I already know.”
In the digital realm, assumptions can be costly. Just because a strategy worked six months ago doesn't mean it will tomorrow. Algorithms change. User behavior shifts. That’s why curiosity isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.
3 Ways to Stay Curious in a Digital World
- Schedule Curiosity Time – Block time each week to explore a new app, read an article outside your industry, or follow a thought leader with a different perspective.
- Create "What If" Spaces – Ask your team questions like: What if we started over today? What would we do differently? These spark creativity and keep thinking fresh.
- Celebrate Questions – Make asking great questions part of your culture. Reward curiosity. After all, the right question often leads to the breakthrough.
In a World That’s Changing Fast, Curiosity Keeps You Grounded
So, here’s your leadership nudge: stay curious. Stay open. Keep asking. In a digital world of answers, your questions are what will set you apart.
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
— Albert Einstein
If Einstein could say that I think we’re all in good company.