In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks to the CEO & Chief Executive Officer of CuriosityBased, Julie Pham. Dr. Julie Pham is a force to be reckoned with. Her mission is to help people practice curiosity in the workplace. She believes there is often a gap between what leaders say they value, such as curiosity, and what individual contributors experience. Curiosity, according to Julie, is a practice. It's about asking questions and feeling safe to do so. She cited a study that found 70% of individual contributors think there are barriers to asking questions at work. This can hinder communication and learning, which are vital for any organization's growth and success. One of the reasons people hesitate to ask questions is the fear of looking incompetent or dumb. Julie acknowledges this fear but also points out that asking questions can reveal that one wasn't listening or their team didn't adequately prepare them. However, she notes that some people consider asking questions passive and prefer to state opinions instead. To counter this, Julie suggests that leaders can model curiosity by admitting when they don't know something and encouraging others to ask questions. She recommends leaders ask questions themselves, create a safe environment for questions, and give everyone a chance to contribute in meetings. Julie shares her litmus test for language - if her refugee parents with limited English cannot understand the words being used, then it is necessary to reconsider the language. She believes that communication should not be about intellectual bullying but rather about being able to communicate with one another.

Key Points from the Episode:

Importance of curiosity in the workplace
Gap between leaders' values and individual contributors' experiences
Definition of curiosity as a practice and the importance of asking questions
Barriers to asking questions at work
Fear of looking incompetent or dumb as a reason for hesitating to ask questions
Leaders modeling curiosity and creating a safe environment for questions
Using plain language and clear communication for effective and inclusive conversations
Curiosity-based inclusion and the importance of asking questions for learning about others and oneself
Challenging nature of practicing curiosity and the importance of grace and listening

About Dr. Julie Pham:

Dr. Julie Pham is a best selling author, a charismatic, dynamic public speaker, and an award-winning researcher and entrepreneur. Her talks are based on her nontraditional career path as well as her original research and years of community building. Her speeches...

1650 – Creating a Culture of Curiosity: How Leaders Can Foster a Safe Environment for Questions with CuriosityBased’s Dr. Julie Pham

The Thoughtful Entrepreneur

1650 – Creating a Culture of Curiosity: How Leaders Can Foster a Safe Environment for Questions with CuriosityBased’s Dr. Julie Pham