Exercising Your Curiosity

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

                                                                    -       Walt Disney

Curiosity can do a lot for you. It can cause you to try new things, which can lead to discoveries, inventions, the creation of new products or services.

It can also do a lot toward the development of your business relationships. And if you want to get those discoveries, inventions, products and services out on the market and competing successfully, you’re going to need strong relationships.

How can curiosity help you in developing your business relationships?

We know that people do business with people they like. The question is: how does that “like” get developed? The answer is that you must create some form of connection. Yet, as so many of my clients point out, you may find that you have absolutely nothing in common with the other person—that you really can’t find any point of connection. Well, let’s clarify: connection doesn’t necessarily mean a common activity. It goes deeper than that. Just because I skydive and you garden doesn’t mean that we can’t develop a human connection. We can. And that human connection is born out of curiosity. If you are truly curious about another person—their thoughts, their activities, their goals—a bond is created.

Next time you’re having a first meeting (or any meeting!), exercise your natural curiosity, and learn about the other person. As you do, keep these principles in mind:

• Listen more than you talk
  
• Listen early—don’t dominate the airtime throughout the meeting and then show your curiosity at the end—it’s too late at that point
  
• Empathize—your curiosity can’t be clinical. Show that you’re going on the journey with them in heart as well as mind
  

On a final note, I’ve had clients admit that they’re going to have to fake this one, because they have no genuine curiosity about their own customers and clients. My answer? Good luck. People are looking for the genuine article. If you’re faking it, they’ll know. And, if you’re not truly interested in them, why are you in business? If you’re solely in it for yourself, that’s a poor foundation for a lasting and successful business that makes a real contribution. Whatever your business, whatever industry you’re in, you have an opportunity to have an impact and make a contribution. When you approach your business that way, your natural curiosity for your clients will surface. You will be genuine. You will contribute. And if you’re good, you just may be truly successful at the same time.