A curious leader is a thriving leader
Here’s an excerpt from a recent conversation I had with a leader:
"Let me tell you something I only understood late in my career - and I already had 20+ years of leadership under my belt at that point: curiosity is the engine of living, breathing leadership. Not the kind of curiosity that monitors or controls, but the kind that drives you to discover, connect, challenge the status quo, and keep learning."
Curiosity isn’t a “nice to have”. It’s a necessity.
I know what you're thinking: "Great, another push to be a visionary, inspiring super leader..." But no. What I’m offering here is much simpler. More human. More real.
Just an invitation to be curious. About what’s happening out there, within you, and between us. Because we’re all deeply connected.
I’ve always loved meeting people. And that only grew stronger when I left the corporate world to become a coach.
Without a title, a team, or a formal role to back me, I had to step out even more. To ask. To explore. To actively cultivate curiosity..
And guess what? That’s when I discovered a new kind of wealth: connections that transform.
The curious leader is a bridge builder.
As Simon Sinek says: “Friendship is not just about being there for each other. It’s about growing together.”
That’s exactly what happened when I met Léa Gouider..Two different journeys, two generations, two approaches - and a shared curiosity. That’s how our leadership program The Inspired Leaders was born..
I had no idea what it would become. But once we started, it felt obvious. Our synergy created something deeply human, meaningful, and powerful.
That’s the power of a curious leader. They don’t shut doors. They don’t stay in their bubble. They reach out. They listen. They experiment.
They create a space where learning never stops.
What if we stopped keeping our curiosities in separate boxes?
Let’s be honest: curiosity is also a business driver. It’s what helped me build - and keep building - my own activity. But more than anything, what fuels me is connection.Giving. Learning. Being surprised. Receiving.
Because when we close ourselves off, we shrink our learning potential.
I’ve heard this sentence so many times:
"Since I left my company, I realize I don’t really have a network..."
The truth is, we were never really taught how to build bridges. But a a curious leader?They celebrate those bridges. They feed them. They help them grow.
In organizations, curiosity fuels innovation.
A curious leader brings the outside world in.
They’re not afraid to look elsewhere for ideas, to listen to different voices, to learn from other industries, countries, generations.
They don’t just follow processes - they challenge them. With kindness, with purpose, with enthusiasm.
And by doing that, they inspire their teams to do the same.
So tell me - when was the last time you gave yourself permission to be curious?
Not to perform. Not to check a LinkedIn box. Just for the joy of discovering something new., de l’échange, de l’ouverture.
Grab coffee with someone you barely know.
Read an article in a field that’s not your own.
Go see what another team, company, or sector is up to.
That’s where the magic happens.
5 simple ways to practice curious leadership
- Step outside the box. Meet, explore, and open up to other ways of seeing.
- Listen without rushing to respond. Just to truly understand.
- Experiment - even if it’s messy. Learning happens in the doing.
- Keep learning. Read, observe, stay open.
- Build lasting connections. Because we’re all interdependent..
Curious to grow your leadership with more impact, purpose, and joy?
Join our program The Inspired Leaders.
Or simply reach out for a conversation - great connections often start with a message.