Curiosity, which has been the most important force driving us to explore life from childhood, is the fundamental trigger for creative thinking and innovation. Everything we see, hear, touch, or experience excites us and creates a driving force to learn more. However, as time passes and we age, societal limitations and the flow of life start to dull our sense of curiosity, confining our thoughts into molds. This can negatively impact our potential for innovation and creativity. Therefore, keeping the sense of curiosity alive throughout life is critical for both individual and organizational innovation and transformation.

Curiosity is also a source of motivation that enables individuals to develop their potential and reflect it in their work, allowing them to offer innovative and better solutions. Francesca Gino, in an article published in the Harvard Business Review, emphasizes that curiosity is much more effective for organizational performance than is often assumed. She highlights that curiosity triggers deeper and more effective decision-making. According to Gino, many leaders avoid encouraging curiosity out of fear that it will lead to inefficiency or increase risks as people explore their own ideas. However, teams and organizations led by those who successfully implement this process become more resilient to risks, adapt quickly to innovation and transformation, and better cope with uncertainty.

At the corporate level, the emergence of curiosity depends on triggering individual curiosity, which fundamentally requires providing employees with time and resources to explore their interests. Google’s “We manage with questions, not answers” approach is another noteworthy example emphasizing the need to continuously foster curiosity. By encouraging employees to keep asking questions and rekindling their desire to explore new paths, organizations can offer opportunities for creative solutions and increase employees’ commitment to the organization.

In this context, maintaining the sense of discovery that begins in childhood and keeping our curiosity alive throughout life is crucial for both personal and professional development. When we achieve this, both individually and organizationally, our creativity is triggered, our resilience and flexibility in facing challenges increase, and, along with all this, our capacity for transformation and innovation grows.