Ask the Tough Questions

In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.

– Eric Hoffer

In 1827, Sir Edward Parry embarked a bold and innovative expedition to reach the North Pole. He converted his boats into sledges when they hit polar ice and his team pushed north through frigid conditions at a rate of 3-5 miles a day.

However, when Parry measured their latitude by the stars to calculate their progress, it seemed their northward movement was slowing down. So his team pushed harder. The next astronomical readings showed they had stopped and were even moving south—despite a hard drive to the north.

What could possibly explain these conflicting measurements?

Admiral Parry and his team had made a discovery: polar ice flows. As they raced north, the sheet beneath them was flowing south, carrying them—and their progress—with it. Parry asked the tough questions, realized what was happening, and turned his team around before they ran out of food.

Two hundred years later, the world is full of uncertain and ambiguous situations like Parry faced. We are inundated with conflicting signals and messages from a complex and constantly changing world. As a result, experience is not as reliable as it used to be and expertise now comes with an expiration date.

So how do we stay nimble enough to make sense of an ever-changing world in real time? Psychologist Karl Weick argues that both extreme overconfidence and extreme caution can deprive people of what they need most during times of change: Curiosity.

• The overconfident ignore curiosity because they already know everything.

• The overly cautious avoid curiosity because it only amplifies their uncertainty.

According to Weick, “both the cautious and the confident are closed-minded, which means neither makes good judgments.” In contrast, those who stoke their curiosity are able to keep up by quickly learning, unlearning, and relearning.

Curiosity is a vital part of leading in a volatile world. If you’ve been heads-down focused on increasing speed, efficiency, and productivity, take some time to check your North Star. Ask the tough questions. Challenge your assumptions. Embrace the unexpected. Like Parry, it might just save your life.

For Reflection: What assumptions have you made this week and how can you validate them?