#WFH Are You Naturally Curious?
You are by nature a curious creature. You are born ready to learn; from that point forward, you are curious, unless someone or some situation trains it out of you. We want to “know” and we are always interested in something new. Esteemed psychologist Lev Vygotsky said learning is a social activity. He was not alone. We have pretty much adapted the philosophy that we do not learn as much or as well when we are alone. It is the interactions, particularly the human interactions, which help us learn new things.
There is a reason that innovation is the number-one attribute every business in the 21st century is embracing.
“Innovate or die” seems to be the mantra. “We need leaders who are innovators!” cry the thinkers in business and education. To innovate means to do something new. Yet in most of these areas, we spend a great deal of effort trying to cling to something old. We vehemently deny the new and try to turn back time. Innovation requires us to look forward. Looking forward starts with accepting where we are and then planning to do something new. Innovation in business is difficult because “strategy is about achieving objectives, while innovation is about discovery, we never know exactly where we’re going until we get there” (Satell, 2013). Authentic productivity in the virtual workplace requires both strategy and innovation. It requires management to step up the competence, commitment and clarity to innovate. It also requires them to put resources behind their words.
Creativity, curiosity, and inquisitiveness are attributes to be rewarded in the virtual workplace. Innovation in business is dependent on fostering these tendencies. This means that both management and individuals want to position themselves so they feel safe, less stressed and less fearful. Fear and stress are creativity killers. Curiosity is about looking at possibilities not limitations. Inquisitiveness is the willingness to step out on the limb and take a chance and to look at problems in a different light, to look at what is in a new way. Inquisitiveness asks, “Why?” Curiosity asks, “Why not?” And Creativity asks, “How?” In order to be authentically productive working virtually, all three are important. The more you are engaged with what you do, the easier it is to enjoy and value your work. You are much more likely to be authentically productive when you feel that what you do matters.
#WFH, #RemoteWorkplace, #RemoteWorker, #WorkFromHome, #BobbeGB, #BobbeBaggio, #ThePajamaEffect, #Touchpoints, #Virtual Workplace, #Virtual Worker #PJEffect
