Last week I covered two critical capabilities that stand out in our fast-paced and ever-evolving world, and the increasing complexity of systems. The two capabilities that stand out for me: curiosity and systems thinking.

When combined, these two mindsets form a powerful duo that can unlock deeper insights and drive sustainable improvement.

A recent Harvard Business Review article stated “while managers may say they value inquisitiveness, too often they stifle it”. In the same article, a survey of 3,000 employees, only one-quarter reported feeling curious on the job regularly, and 70% said they faced barriers to asking more questions at work. So it appears that leaders discourage curiosity.

Without curiosity, learning can become stagnant, and improvement efforts may lack depth or creativity.

Consider this. In environments where curiosity is fostered, teams are typically more adaptable, resilient, and better positioned to handle complex challenges.

But how do we do encourage this?

Fostering a Culture of Curiosity and Systems Thinking

Organizations that thrive in the face of complexity and change are those that cultivate a culture of curiosity and systems thinking.

Leaders can foster this culture by encouraging continuous learning, rewarding inquisitive thinking, and providing opportunities for cross-functional collaboration, where teams can better understand how their work fits into the broader organizational system.

Additionally, investing in training around systems thinking methodologies. This can equip teams with the tools needed to analyze and improve complex systems—such as causal loop diagrams or process mapping. Also, awareness and training for leaders is key. Actions speak louder than words, they need to demonstrate they value inquisitiveness.

These tools, when combined with a curious mindset, create an environment where continuous improvement becomes a natural part of the organizational DNA.

Conclusion

In a world where complexity is increasing, the combination of curiosity and systems thinking provides a strategic advantage.

Curiosity opens the door to new possibilities and deeper understanding, while systems thinking ensures that those insights are applied in a way that benefits the whole system.

Together, they form a powerful approach to continuous improvement that can help organizations innovate, adapt, and thrive in an ever-changing landscape.

Act Now

As organizations strive for sustainable growth and improvement, its imperative that cultivating curiosity and systems thinking is fostered among their leaders and teams. Curiosity and systems thinking will be crucial to navigating the complexities of the future.