Remember Asking “Why” About Everything?

We need that energy at work.

Let’s look in the rear view at a time when we were curious about darn near everything.  You remember that moment on the playground when your 5-year-old self  simply walked up to someone completely different from you and just started talking?

No hesitation. No assumptions. Just pure curiosity.

"What's that mark on your arm?" "Why do you talk differently?" "Can you teach me the  game you’re playing?"

I’ve been in countless meetings where a colleague’s idea was dismissed in 30 seconds flat. And the one doing the dismissing never asked WHY the person thought that way. There was not an ounce of curiosity about the experience that shaped that perspective.

Somewhere between childhood and our first performance review, we lost that superpower.

We started making snap judgments instead of asking genuine questions. We began acting on assumptions as if they were fact and putting people into boxes before we’ve even had a real conversation.

…And look at where it’s gotten us.

What if we brought back that childhood curiosity to our workplaces?

Instead of: ❌ "That won't work here"
Try: ✅ "Tell me more about how you see this playing out"

Instead of ❌ "She’s being too sensitive"
Try: ✅ "Help me understand your point of view"

Instead of: ❌ "He’s  just not management material"
Try: ✅ "What's their story? What experiences shaped their approach?"

The magic happens in the space between assumption and understanding.
That 5-year-old didn't see barriers, they saw possibilities. They didn't see "different" as threatening, rather, something that sparked interest.

Our teams need that energy. Inclusion and belonging grows there. Our innovation depends on it; and we all thrive when we get genuinely curious about each other's stories, perspectives, and experiences.

So here's my challenge for this week:

Pick one person you work with who thinks differently than you do. Instead of making assumptions about their approach, get curious. Ask them about their process, their perspective, their story.

You might just discover that what you thought was a barrier is actually a bridge to better solutions.