What Jane Goodall Can Teach Us About Curiosity in Leadership
When Jane Goodall talks about the making of a little scientist, she isn’t describing test tubes or textbooks.
She’s describing a way of thinking.
Her recipe for harnessing curiosity?
Asking questions
Not getting the answer
Deciding to find out for yourself
Making a mistake
Not giving up
And learning patience.
You can watch the clip here.
60 seconds that encapsulate the power of curiosity in leadership.
That sentence in particular captures the spirit of curiosity, and it’s just as relevant to leadership as it is to science.
The Curiosity Leaders Often Lose
As children, curiosity comes naturally. We poke, prod, and ask why until someone tells us to stop.
At work, that same instinct often gets buried under deadlines and deliverables.
But when leaders stop asking questions, teams stop learning.
And when learning slows, change becomes something people fear instead of something they shape.
Curiosity isn’t a nice to have. It’s the starting point of every experiment, every improvement, and every transformation. When you think about it, every single big invention started with a what if.
From Little Scientist to Experimental Leader
Goodall’s story shows the building blocks of what we now call an experimental mindset:
Ask questions. Start with curiosity, not certainty.
Don’t wait for the answer. Go and find out for yourself.
Make mistakes. Treat them as data, not defeat.
Keep going. Persistence turns ideas into understanding.
Learn patience. Real insight takes time.
These habits don’t just create great scientists; they create resilient, adaptive leaders. The kind who stay calm in uncertainty and help others do the same.
Why Curiosity Matters in Leadership
Curiosity turns fear into learning.
It shifts conversations from “Who’s to blame?” to “What did we learn?”
In teams led by curious people, questions are welcomed, feedback is shared, and ideas build on each other. Mistakes aren’t hidden; they’re examined.
That’s how innovation happens. Not in a singular burst of genius, but in a loop of curiosity, testing, and reflection.
Curious leaders make their teams more experimental, more engaged, and far more ready for change.
Bringing Curiosity Back
You don’t need a lab to lead like a scientist.
You just need the habits that make discovery possible.
Try this:
Ask one question in your next meeting that starts with “What if…” or “Why not…”
Notice what happens when you focus on learning rather than proving.
Reflect at the end of the week on what surprised you.
Small moments of curiosity add up.
Over time, they change how people think, speak, and solve problems together.
The Making of a Leader
The making of a leader isn’t so different from the making of that “little scientist.”
It’s about asking, testing, learning, and trying again. With patience, resilience and adaptability.
Because leadership, at its best, is an act of curiosity.
Ready to Build More Curious Leaders?
At The Brick Coach, we help organisations get change-ready.
If you’re ready to boost your team’s curiosity and experimental mindset, get in touch.
