WOW #046: Curiosity and Presence

Quote of the Week:
“Kids are born curious about the world. What adults do primarily in the presence of kids is unwittingly thwart the curiosity of children.”
- Neil deGrasse Tyson

Years ago I heard Neil deGrasse Tyson on a podcast talking about browsing and shopping at retail stores. 

I’m paraphrasing, but he said “one of the worst things a salesperson can do in those situations is to help me find exactly what I’m looking for.”

Why?

"Because, (more paraphrasing) - if he locates an item I’m looking for and I stop browsing, I may never stumble upon an item I didn’t even know I wanted.”

Sometimes, the simplest things in life are often the hardest to practice. 

Business today operates at warp speeds with no signs of slowing down. Sadly, the casualties of these expectations can put a real damper on very important aspects of day-to-day business ownership. I’m talking about 2 simple things in particular:

• Being curious.
• Being present.

Let’s start with curiosity.

When we were younger, we were curious about anything and everything. We never thought about how that curiosity affected or impacted the bigger picture.

Our only thoughts were fixated on the object of our curiosity.

For the second topic (being present), isn’t curiosity directly related? Nowadays, one of the best gifts you can give both yourself and the people you interact with, is to be fully present with the person in front of you.

It seems so easy until you apply a critical view of your own meetings and conversations.

How often do you just go through the motions and checklists when talking to colleagues or customers?

How might those interactions produce better results if you take an intentional posture towards being genuinely curious and present?

Years ago this was the norm.

Today, it makes you something of a hero.

Going forward, it could produce great results for your business, your work culture, and your relationships with customers.

2 Takeaways:

1. Curiosity Masquerades as Fear, But Actually Tempers Fear. Our creative imaginations are often far worse than what we actually face in life, and in business. Curiosity is an important catalyst for growth and development. When you come across a problem or challenge in your business, before saying “no” and defaulting to fear, start asking questions instead.
   
   
2. Being Present Is An Easy Win. Putting your phone down. Making eye contact. Giving a knowing nod or a simple gesture. Referring back to what the other person said a few minutes ago. None of these are hard. All of them make a big difference.
   
   

1 Action:

This week, try the art of practicing “micro meetings” before actual meetings. 

What's a micro-meeting?  

5 minutes.

A time to empty your brain of the previous meeting, as well as the one that follows the one you're about to go into. 

A time to take a few full, deep breaths. 

A time to review notes (if any exist) to make the next meeting a great one.

A time to remember to ask how the other person is doing, and pausing to listen.

Have a great week everyone, 

Hubert