Why better questions build better teams: The cultural case for curiosity

When leaders talk about team performance, the conversation often centres on strategy, capability, and execution. These all matter of course, but they sit on top of something more fundamental: the quality of relationships and conversations inside the team. In our last article, we looked at curiosity as a personal operating system for leaders. Here, we examine how it functions as the social engine of teams. 

When thinking about how people listen to one another, what happens when someone asks an unexpected question, and whether differences are explored or neutralised, curiosity plays an important role. We’re not talking about curiosity as a personality trait, but as a cultural force that determines how teams relate, learn, and work through complexity together.  

Curiosity as a social connector 

Curiosity strengthens relationships because it signals interest. When leaders ask genuine questions, people feel seen and taken seriously. Over time this builds trust and encourages contribution.   

This matters most when things become difficult. Curious people cope differently with social challenges, processing exclusion or conflict in ways that maintain engagement and well-being. Instead of reverting to judgement or defensiveness, curiosity creates space to ask: What might be going on here?

In leadership contexts, this shows up in conflict. Curious leaders are less likely to escalate disagreement. Rather than attributing behaviour to intent or character, they engage in perspective-taking. They wonder why the other person is acting the way they are. This stops tension from escalating. 

Over time, curiosity creates a reinforcing social dynamic. When leaders ask questions, people tend to disclose more. Disclosure increases a sense of closeness. That closeness makes support and collaboration more likely. Culture emerges from this repeated pattern of exchange. 

Possessing curiosity and cultivating it in others  

Many leaders are personally curious, but this doesn’t automatically translate into a wider culture of curiosity. In environments that reward expertise, speed, and certainty, leaders often feel pressure to provide answers quickly. The intention is usually positive: to be helpful, decisive, or reassuring. 

Even when the answer is correct though, it signals that exploration is no longer required. This naturally weakens curiosity within teams. The shift required is for leaders to move from positioning themselves as the primary source of answers to acting as the primary source of questions. This keeps thinking distributed rather than centralised, and signals that inquiry remains open even when direction is clear. 

Preparing people to learn and change 

People can’t be compelled to learn or change; their brains need to be prepared first. Curiosity plays a critical role here. When people become curious, dopamine is released, which primes the brain to absorb and retain information. This means that curiosity increases the likelihood that people will engage with what follows and remember it later. 

This is where a “curiosity hook” becomes useful. Before introducing a new direction, mandate, or learning programme, leaders can surface a question, tension, or scenario that highlights what’s not yet known. When curiosity is present, people are more open, more receptive, and more likely to stay engaged through complexity rather than resist it. 

Everyday practices that sustain curiosity   

Curiosity is often better built and sustained in ordinary moments rather than formal initiatives, and small leadership behaviours can accumulate into culture. These are just some of the ways to foster it: 

1. 1. The curiosity hook (priming) 

Before introducing a new strategy, mandate, or learning session, you need to “prime” the brain. People are more receptive and retain information better when curiosity is engaged first. Don’t start with the answer. Begin with a mystery, a surprising statistic, or a scenario that highlights a gap in knowledge. This activates the brain’s reward system (dopamine), preparing the hippocampus to absorb what comes next. 

1. 2. The curiosity board (with follow-through) 

Off-topic ideas in meetings are often shut down, which discourages exploration. It’s important to capture these ideas in a physical or digital space, without letting them languish. Revisit the board regularly to validate that curiosity was heard and to explore promising avenues. 

1. 3. Keeping thinking active 

When asked a question, it can be tempting to answer immediately, especially in areas of expertise. But asking something like: “That’s a great question. What do you all think?” can shift the culture from one focused on the “right answer” to one of collective inquiry, keeping the team’s thinking active rather than prematurely closing discussion. 

1. 4. Providing voice and choice 

Curiosity thrives where people have autonomy, and restricting employees to narrow roles stifles inquiry. By offering limited but meaningful choices (for example “what part of this project do you want to tackle?), engagement and investment naturally increase. 

Curiosity as a leadership responsibility  

Curiosity in teams doesn’t happen by chance. Leaders shape it through the questions they ask, the way they respond, and the space they create for others to explore ideas. By intentionally modelling inquiry, perspective-taking, and openness, leaders signal that thinking is shared, not centralised. 

The result is that teams become more willing to share insights, challenge assumptions, and collaborate across differences. Learning accelerates, adaptation becomes easier, and problem-solving is more creative. 

Leadership, then, is about fostering the conditions in which curiosity can thrive. Most leaders already know it matters. The challenge is ensuring that curiosity is consistently prioritised, practiced, and embedded in everyday team life. If you’d like to know more about how to foster curiosity, get in touch.