Lead with Curiosity

There’s nothing more intimidating than doing a morning workout with a guy who owns four fitness centers.

That is my friend Andrew Simpson.

Andrew and I happened to be on the same flight to Colorado Springs for a Path for Growth leadership event. On the way from the airport, we shared an Uber with our driver, BJ. What could have been an awkward 30-minute ride with three strangers turned into one of the most interesting conversations of the trip.

I noticed how Andrew engaged BJ. He wasn’t trying to impress her or dominate the conversation. He was simply curious. He asked questions, listened to her answers, and then asked another question.

As the conversation continued, we learned that BJ was expecting her second grandbaby later that week. Yay BJ! That opened the door to more conversation about her family, her experiences, and eventually her incredible faith journey.

Something pretty cool happened in that Uber. We moved beyond the normal small talk and facts you typically exchange with a stranger. By the time we arrived at our destination, three people who had been complete strangers 30 minutes earlier felt surprisingly connected.

The best leaders aren’t always the people with the best answers. Sometimes they’re the people who are willing to ask another question, listen a little longer, and genuinely want to understand the person sitting across from them.

Whether you’re sitting in the passenger seat of an Uber, working out with a friend, or sitting across the table from someone on your team, don’t be so quick to fill the silence

Be curious. Ask questions. Listen.

You never know where the conversation might go—or how much deeper the relationship might become.

 Andrew, thanks for modeling curiosity well. - Rusty