Company culture is important for both business performance outcomes & personal growth – & the need to craft an organisation’s culture to deliver results & create meaning & purpose lays within the hands of both the employer & employee.
According to an observation by Harvard Business School, one overlooked quality that plays a central in shaping this is the role of ‘Curiosity’.
Here are 4 ways in which it can explored in the workplace:
1.    Curiosity about employees
In order to shape & maintain a corporate culture, leaders & managers need to be curious about the values & motivations of their employees.  As organisations thrive from a collection of different mindsets, personalities, qualifications & skillsets, knowing what drives people & how they operate can assist in building an efficient team. Leaders are required to display curiosity towards those with whom they work with, which can be executed through a number of different exercises. Here at Straight Up PR, we enjoy team bonding & goal setting sessions throughout the year which helps us learn more about each other’s personalities to foster & encourage growth & development.
2.    Curiosity about clients
It's no surprise that when a customer/client is looking to engage an organisation to do work for them, they are interested in the dynamic of the company, how they operate & what they can do to benefit them as well. In saying this, importance is placed just as much on why a company does something & clients care deeply about the culture & values a company embraces. Therefore, curiosity about clients is pivotal to any successful business. For example, at Straight Up PR, we are passionate about crafting impactful & meaningful PR campaigns that create awareness for each brand we work with - & in doing so, we take the time to get to know the brand/founders & act as an extension of the brand, bringing forward a positive, can-do attitude where nothing is too hard to execute this. We're also partial to a vision board session to manifest clients we would love to work with!
3.    Curiosity about roles
Whether you are a manager wanting to move up the ranks or entry-level employee thinking about your next step, curiosity is a form of self-reflection that every staff member experiences. Approaching this with open-mindedness as both your role (& company) evolves is one way to get closer to where you want to be. This also involves having an understanding on the roles of your team members & how everyone comes together to meet a common goal. A shift in responsibilities can also be expected & should be embraced. Employees in a start-up may find themselves dabbling in many different areas of the business (some of which have nothing to do with their job title), yet being a team player will not only broaden your experience but can get you noticed. Leaders in particular need to be confident & curious as to how their unique strengths, weaknesses & work style contribute to the company's overarching goal.Â
4.    Curiosity about change
Along with curiosity about roles within a company, curiously about change is an ever-evolving quality employees at every level should be exploring. Staying curious about both internal & external factors such as team dynamics & changing nature of the industry can assist with planning & forecasting. Reflecting on what is working, what isn't & what can be done better, is an exercise companies need to be revisit on a regular basis in order to continue to grow & succeed.
A company's culture, vision, mission, values & objectives are constantly changing, & challenging these with curiosity is an important way to ensure your organisation & the people within it are adapting in order to work to their full potential - this is something we are big on at Straight Up PR & we love to continue to grow, expand & challenge ourselves to get the best results both personally & professionally.