The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk

Full show notes can be found at www.LearningLeader.com

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#322: Ian Leslie

Ian Leslie is a London-based journalist and author of critically acclaimed books about human behavior. He is currently writing a new book on “productive disagreement”, which will be published in 2020. Ian also created, wrote and performed in the BBC radio comedy Before They Were Famous.

Notes:

Leaders who sustain excellence =
- Have the ability to think about their own thinking -- Step outside and reflect
- Know that you'll say "I don't know" frequently
- Breadth -- A range of interests
- Interested in building knowledge and an awareness that it might not pay off (and being ok with that)
Ian built his life around curiosity -- He was a strategist for ad agencies. He needed to deeply understand his clients. That is a job built on curiosity.
- "I am a curiosity driven writer."
Children are born curious... "People are born with habits/knowledge to survive." And then they stop. There's no evolutionary impulse to keep going.
- It becomes a conscious choice to cognitive resources and time
The two types of curiosity
- Diversive: Hunger for new information. It comes from an information gap. Agatha Christie understands how to create an information gap to keep you turning the page
- Epistemic: Desire to acquire knowledge/build/assimilate into networks in your brain. It requires discipline. It's engendered. It's diversive curiosity grown up.
"There is a rising premium on people with a high need for cognition." NFC (need for cognition) is a scientific measure of intellectual curiosity
"Taking action. Doing... is a form of learning. They are intertwined."
Reflecting on own habits -- use self as a lab experiment... Then talk with others.
Empathically curious -- Being curious about what's inside of other person's head. How they think and feel.
"You're going to be come a better communicator being a better listener."
Atul Gawande -- Ask the unscripted question. Make a human connection.
Have 10% of your brain switched on to "Am I talking too much?"
How to have productive disagreements:
- Don't avoid it
- Have disagreements we both can live with
- "You'll have more productive disagreement if you're curious about the other person."
People who have a higher level of scientific curiosity... They don't rush to judgement. Think, "Oh, I wonder why I think that?"
"Nobody has trained us in how to disagree with each other."
"You have this choice in judgement and curiosity."
Life/Career advice: "Be interested in everything. Go deep in one area."
- Have core people in your life and foster the weak ties.
Everyone is born curious. But only some retain the habits of exploring, learning and discovering as they grow older. Which side of the “curiosity divide” are you on?

323: Ian Leslie - The Desire To Know & Why Your Future Depends On It

The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

323: Ian Leslie - The Desire To Know & Why Your Future Depends On It