Project Management

A Case of Curiosity – The Project Manager Who Thrived

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Categories: Global Summit 2023


By: Priya Patra

Curiosity killed the Cat – We have heard of it while you were growing up, possibly as a cautionary tale, warning you of the dangers of unnecessary investigation or experimentation.

The cat in the idiom presumably became overly curious, so much so that he put himself into a dangerous situation which led to his death.

But is this true even now when the world is disrupted least to say?

A recent Harvard Business Review had an article by Frances Gino from the Harvard Business School that said, “When we’re curious, we view tough situations more creatively.”

We challenge “status quo” - Curiosity helps us to think out of the box.

In the words of Albert Einstein, “The important thing is not to stop questioning … Never lose a holy curiosity.

As children, we always asked questions but maybe not so much as adults.

Increasingly we are expected to follow often conflicting social norms within different contexts. 

Unrestrained curiosity becomes an annoying time waster, however, if targeted it can become the project managers' superpower. Best of all we all have it, we just have to harness it. Project managers can harness curiosity as a power skill to enable better project outcomes and an innovative future fit team – thrive in this disrupted world.

So, is curiosity a power skill?

How can we encourage ourselves and our teams to be more curious?

Can curiosity uncover challenges, and increase our capacity for innovation and growth?

Join me at the PMI Global Summit 2023 on 28 October at 10:15 ET where I will narrate tips and techniques from my day-to-day as a project manager.

  1. How curiosity encourages continual growth and learning, which drives positive personal, team, and organizational outcomes by a motivated and future-fit 
  2. How asking the right questions to ourselves as leaders can help to polish our power skill – Curiosity
  3. How curiosity can make our teams
    1. Ideators
    2. Problem solvers
    3. Energizers - who can barge through any obstacles without burning out, infusing the team with energy and enthusiasm to thrive
    4. Enables continuous learning

Most importantly we will also deliberate if curiosity killed the cat.

I am curious to know your thoughts on this topic. Do you think curiosity is a power skill? How can we encourage ourselves and our teams to be more curious?


Posted by Priya Patra on: October 16, 2023 10:51 AM | Permalink

Comments (5)

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Luis Branco CEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, Ldª Carcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Priya
The topic you prepared and/or are preparing for the PMI Conference is very interesting.

I wish you the greatest success in your presentation

avatar
Aneta Wereszczak Project Manager| EY GDS Wroclaw, Poland
Interesting topic Priya! Can’t wait to your presentation!

avatar
Kwiyuh Michael Wepngong
Community Champion
Financial Management Specialist | US Peace Corps Yaounde, Centre, Cameroon
Thanks Priya

avatar
Alejandro Jose Román Senior Technical Project Manager| © ROMTECH Consultores SRL. ® Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
An interesting point of view and added value to the role of the Project Manager,
Thank you for sharing this appreciation

avatar
NKWELLE ESSONG ELVIS DANGOTE CEMENT SA Douala, Lt, Cameroon
Thanks

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