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How Curiosity and Strengths-Based Leadership Boost Team Engagement and Performance

Writer's picture: Jen PasqualeJen Pasquale

Jen Pasquale

Is it Time or Talent that Makes a Leader?


And if talent is the answer, what traits are most desired in successful leaders? Ask 100 leaders that question, and you’re sure to get a nuanced list of traits that signal quality, connected leadership.


My office bookcase reflects the authors who have shaped my view of leadership:


  • Dare to Lead

  • Multipliers

  • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

  • Strengths-Based Leadership

  • First, Break All the Rules

  • Atomic Habits


When the pattern-finder in me looks at what all these books have in common, it’s curiosity. They foster curiosity in how I approach personal and professional challenges. They encourage me to consider—and be curious—about how others approach everything from a problem to a habit to a celebration. How are we different? How are we similar? And what exists in between? What is not being said?


Curiosity in life and leadership creates a unique richness in both how we listen and what we learn. It requires acknowledging that not every leader excels at curiosity. Curiosity lives in the pause. It gains nuance in the moments in between. It finds its footing in our intentions. And it can breathe new life into old workplace relationships and fractured team dynamics.


But as leaders, what does curiosity sound like in our organizations? And how do we make time for something to exist in the margins?


At its simplest, curiosity might sound like:

  • How can I best support you?

  • Tell me more about your idea for solving this issue.

  • What projects have you enjoyed most this year? What made those enjoyable?

  • How would you summarize our last six months in one sentence?

  • What are your thoughts on where we have room to stretch?

  • Are there any challenges you’re looking to take on this year


Over my career, the curiosity of my favorite peers, mentors, and bosses included me. They knew me, they knew my value to the team or organization, and they leaned on me in those areas. They knew my goals, my challenges, and my weaknesses. They took the time to be curious about me—personally and professionally. They helped me develop self-awareness, confidence, and clarity in my unique value to the project and team.


But curiosity cannot exist without intention. Whether it’s an overflowing inbox, a mile-long to-do list, or looming deadlines that distract us, sustained curiosity about ourselves and our colleagues can feel unachievable. Most organizations and teams are moving too fast for a natural pause to cultivate curiosity. As leaders, when we integrate curiosity, we learn the quiet parts that lead to employee motivation, innovation, and sustained change.


But instead of asking us to carve out more time with our employees, perhaps it’s about applying a new lens to the time we have. Asking unique questions, leading meetings differently, or providing meaningful feedback that moves the needle on engagement.


And what if there was a shortcut? An easy button for curiosity? In my experience, there is: building strengths-based cultures.


Strengths development, no matter which tool you’re using, is rooted in the idea that every individual thinks, acts, and feels in their own nuanced ways. It’s inherently curious. Individually, I get to investigate my own tendencies and validate them against how I show up in my work and personal life. I get to consider my behaviors through a new lens, seeing details I may have missed before. I develop language for myself that I can then share with others. In teams, strengths discussions breed curiosity as colleagues begin to see each other more clearly, without the bias that may have taken root when viewing only behaviors, without understanding the roots behind them. There’s both curiosity and clarity that emerge when strengths become a cornerstone of how an organization invests in the dynamics of teams.


As the leader of a team or an organization, strengths become a way to supercharge curiosity in your teams. It’s an opportunity to learn a new language for old ways of working. It’s a way to build a new foundation for how you understand those on your team and, equally importantly, a way for them to develop the same understanding about you. At its core, strengths work is about providing a new and nuanced language for how one shows up in the world, on a team, at home—whether you are the leader or being led.


In strengths-centric team-building workshops, I see time and again that friction, miscommunication, and even conflict can be reduced as each person learns more about how their colleague thinks. As teammates develop language for what unique talents they bring to the team, they begin to appreciate the fact that no one person can be everything a team needs—even if they believe they can be. The collection of talents and strengths unique to each team is what makes that team succeed.

But it all begins with a willingness to be curious and an alignment with tools that provide clarity in that curiosity. Building connected, engaged teams is a long game in any organization. But curiosity and strengths are two tools that can accelerate the learning and growth on which connected cultures are built.


Final Thoughts: As we’ve seen, weaving curiosity into your leadership approach and building a strengths-based culture can profoundly impact team engagement and effectiveness. By embracing each individual’s unique talents and nurturing a spirit of inquiry, you open doors to deeper connections and heightened performance within your organization. The path to a more engaged and cohesive team begins with asking the right questions and committing to the growth of your people. Let’s take this journey together and uncover the transformative power of curiosity in leadership.


Take the first step toward a more curious and strengths-driven organization. Contact us to learn more about our tailored workshops and coaching sessions designed to foster effective leadership and team dynamics.



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