Trust Thrives on Curiosity (Not Certainty)

In disruption, most leaders instinctively reach for answers.

But great leaders?

They reach for better questions.

Because in uncertain conditions, certainty is a mirage — and pretending to have all the answers actually erodes trust.

What builds trust under pressure?

Curiosity.

When leaders model curiosity, it sends a powerful signal to the team:

• It’s safe to surface risks.

• It’s smart to explore alternatives.

• It’s valued to ask hard questions.

And here’s the secret:

On high-trust, disruption-ready teams, curiosity goes viral.

It shows up in:

• Leaders who say, “Tell me more” instead of cutting people off.

• Teams who ask each other, “What might we be missing?” before finalizing a plan.

• Colleagues who surface risks early, not hide them until it’s too late.

Here’s one simple move to try this week:
→ Open-Ended Curiosity Check-In

In your next team meeting, swap “Any questions?” for “What’s one thing you think we should be asking about that we haven’t yet?”

Small shift. Huge trust unlock.

If you want a full playbook on building trust that scales with disruption — and doesn’t collapse under it — that’s exactly what we dive into in the Labs.

Explore the Alchemy of Talent Learning Labs →

P.S. Curiosity isn’t weakness. It’s leadership. Especially when the waves of disruption get big. #LetsSurf