The power of curiosity in legal services

Curiosity is a quality which appears to be lauded and chided in equal measure. As someone who regards curiosity as a trait to be encouraged, I’ve long struggled to understand why curiosity would kill a cat; I find it to be an odd saying. A well-known wiki site would have you believe that the saying originally referred to the suggestion that care (as in worry or sorrow) would kill a cat.

Curiosity is at the heart of learning and development. It prompts exploration, a desire to learn, to know more, to be inquisitive and ask questions. The Latin origin of the word, cura (to care), links curiosity with diligence and carefulness
– I would suggest to thoroughness rather than through recklessness or abandonment of care.

A question which my curiosity about curiosity prompts is why organisations are not naturally disposed to being able to encourage or foster greater curiosity. Law firms are in the business of asking and answering questions of and on behalf of their clients. But, organisationally, they don’t necessarily foster an environment in which employees are encouraged to explore ideas or be allowed to fail when being adventurous or inquisitive.

Law firms are often described as
being careful and diligent, which can
work against a mindset of curiosity. Consider the following:

• How can a learning and development approach help your firm to be a more curious organisation?

• What forums or media do you make available to your employees in order
  to generate new ideas?

• How do you enable employees to share their knowledge and experiences?

• How do you promote the importance of networking within your firm?

• Do you make time for people to be curious?

• Do you measure or reward the research and presentation of newly-unearthed knowledge or information?

• How curious are you?

• How curious is your firm? Is it
  a thought leader?

• What do your clients think? Are
  you curious enough to ask?

Breaking habits

It is often the case that, in order to move forward with new learning, individuals need to unlearn or break old habits of thinking and behaviour. Learning and development can help people to unlearn and address their concerns about being curious and support them in developing their capacity for curiosity.

The skills associated with being curious are naturally demonstrated by some and less so by others. The ability
to listen well and form questions is readily found in the curious. Helping people to develop their questioning insight will enable them to explore the outer reaches of their technical expertise and to identify boundaries showing what can be pushed further through exploration and perhaps
a sense of adventure.

The ability to ask questions about who was involved, why something happened a certain way, how a new idea would be beneficial and so on needs to be balanced with the ability to reflect and gain facts, information and evidence. Achieving that balance will foster increased inquisitiveness in the naturally curious and calm the nerves of those who appear to be less curious by providing reassurance that the curious are not running away on some grand adventure or folly.

L&D teams can support partners and managers in developing the ability to have a light hand on the tiller when steering the curious towards areas that will more evidently benefit the firm, without blocking the opportunity to accept the unexpected bonuses which can come about from exploration.

What if?

Products such Post-it notes, cornflakes and penicillin stemmed from failure in their intended form, but not from a lack of someone being curious and finding an answer to the question ‘what if?’

So, how curious are you? What would happen at your firm if you and your colleagues were more curious?

Sue Beavil is UK learning and organisational development manager at international law firm Slater & Gordon (www.slatergordon.co.uk)