How curiosity shapes the way we work at AJ Chambers

How do we employ curiosity in our work relationships? Part one in our series on AJ Chambers’ brand values. Curiosity. Most of the breakthrough discoveries and inventions have something in common: they are the result of curiosity. It is a quality we aim for at AJ Chambers.

Curiosity at work drives our staff to explore, ask questions, and seek knowledge. We have three important insights about curiosity, as it relates to our business.

First, curiosity is much more important to our culture than we realised. When our curiosity is triggered, we think more deeply and rationally about decisions and come up with more-creative solutions. In addition, curiosity allows our employees to gain more respect and inspires us to develop more-trusting and more-collaborative relationships with clients.

Second, by making small changes, our Directors can encourage curiosity and improve our offering. This is true in every other industry and for creative and routine work alike.

Third, we must strive not to stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency. In a survey of more than 3,000 employees from a wide range of firms and industries, only about 24% reported feeling curious in their jobs on a regular basis. Around 70% said they face barriers to asking more questions at work.

An AJ Chambers employee asks lots of questions about goals, plans and objectives. It’s critically important to know what you are aiming for so that you can strategise the most efficient and effective ways of achieving your goals.

“Curious” staff don’t take the numbers at face value, but question how we arrive from an operational sense at the number in question.

4 benefits of curiosity at AJ Chambers:

Fewer decision-making errors.
More innovation and positive changes in both creative and noncreative jobs.
Reduced group conflict.
More-open communication and better team performance.

When we are curious, we view tough situations more creatively. Studies have found that curiosity is associated with less defensive reactions to stress and less aggressive reactions to provocation. We also perform better when we’re curious. In a study of 120 employees, natural curiosity was associated with better job performance, as evaluated by their direct bosses.

A recent study showed a heightened curiosity meant that people were more willing to wait to find out the solution to a puzzle.

Research has found that curiosity encourages members of a group to put themselves in one another’s shoes and take an interest in one another’s ideas rather than focus only on their own perspective. That causes them to work together more effectively and smoothly: Conflicts are less heated, and groups achieve better results.

5 ways you can be curious at work:

Ask lots of questions.
Listen to your co-workers and supervisors.
Try to learn something new.
Read more.
Follow your interests.

In conclusion, curiosity is a powerful emotion that drives us to explore, ask questions, and seek knowledge. It can be beneficial in many areas of life and can help us to develop our problem-solving skills and relationships with others.