May14
Curiosity Isn’t Soft—It’s How Real Change Happens
Disruption is everywhere.
Yet most teams stay stuck in processes designed for a world that no longer exists.
Why?
Because questioning the status quo often feels like a risk, not a leadership move.
But here’s the thing no one tells you:
Curiosity isn’t soft. It’s how real change happens.
Years ago, I found myself running a nine-week training program in a large organization—heavy slides, heavy compliance, zero flexibility. We were following “the process,” but it felt disconnected from what the business really needed.
One day, I asked out loud:
“Why does this need to take nine weeks?”
My manager didn’t like it.
“Stay in your lane. Just follow the process,” he snapped.
But that question wouldn’t leave me alone.
So I went back, mapped a six-week alternative, and nervously pitched it again. This time, surprisingly, he listened.
We got permission to run a pilot.
Same outcomes.
Three weeks saved.
Tangible business impact.
That single moment of curiosity cracked open my career in transformation.
True transformation doesn’t happen by accident. It follows a pattern - one I now call the Ingenuity C.O.D.E.:
Curiosity – Ask bold questions that challenge “how we’ve always done it.”
Open-Mindedness – Consider unexpected ideas when obvious solutions stall.
Decisiveness – Move forward when you see a better way, even if it’s imperfect.
Experimentation – Test small before scaling big.
Whether you’re redesigning a workflow or rethinking a business model, it starts by challenging what feels "untouchable."
In a world of AI, automation, and accelerated disruption, organizations don’t fail because of external forces.
They fail because of internal inertia - the refusal to question outdated processes, hierarchies, and systems.
The good news?
You don’t need permission to start asking better questions.
The real risk isn’t challenging the system.
The real risk is staying silent while the world moves on.
What outdated process is slowing your team down right now?
What question do you need to ask - even if it feels uncomfortable?
Start there.
Because that single act of curiosity might just spark your next transformation.
Keywords: Leadership, Change Management, Transformation
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