03/15/2024

Research: When — and Why — Employee Curiosity Annoys Managers

Excessive curiosity can be interpreted as defiance

In recent years, workplace curiosity has been called essential, transformational, and the most valuable characteristic that leaders can have. Research has shown that curiosity can facilitate psychological safety, problem solving and innovation. Another study found that curious employees — who enjoy looking for new solutions to complex problems, are eager to learn, and seek information and develop new strategies — are more likely to be seen by leaders as competent, creative and high-performing. Not surprisingly, organizations have been urged to cultivate and encourage employee curiosity.

However, some researchers arguee curiosity may be a double-edged sword. For instance, curious individuals may satisfy their curiosity by taking unnecessary risks. Likewise, some managers may prefer that their employees stick to the script rather than questioning it or reinventing a new one; indeed, managers could dislike curious employees and see them as rule breakers, which is consistent with the proverb and admonition that "curiosity killed the cat."

We recently conducted a series of studies to understand when curiosity may lead to different reactions in the workplace, with an emphasis on understanding if politically skilled employees are better able to express their curiosity in ways that are perceived more favorably by organizational leaders.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Harvard Business Review.