Curiosity is the seed, safety the conditions where learning can grow.
Creating the conditions that enable learning.
What and who creates the conditions in the workplace?
Curiosity is often where learning begins.
It is the moment we pause and wonder, “Why does this happen?”, “What else might be possible?” or “What am I not seeing?” ………. if we take that pause!
In a workplace, curiosity can turn an everyday problem into an opportunity to understand, question, explore & decompress, instead of an emotive reaction of ‘quick lets fix it’.
How do we foster and capture that curiosity, making it a regular way of working that progresses our tasks, days, teams and workplaces (instead of a threat to self, power, leadership)?
A seed doesn't grow simply because it exists. The seed needs the right conditions. In the same way, people may be curious, but whether they can express that curiosity, ask questions and explore different possibilities, influences the environment around them, the leadership working with them and the workplace, as a positive or negative environment for learning.
Safe workplace learning (which informs culture) is one of those conditions. When people can ask questions, acknowledge they don't know something, raise concerns or offer a different perspective without fear of humiliation, reprisal, defensive reactions or feeling dismissed, curiosity has room to grow.
Healthy workplace safety, doesn't mean a workplace will always feel comfortable, but it does mean a workplace will participate and adapt rather than demand and dictate.
Learning can be challenging and constructive at the same time.
Creating psychological safety for people to show where they are at and still engage with a challenge, is how we build trust, reciprocity, authenticity, confidence and high functioning teams, rather than learning it is safer to remain silent for fear of reprisal.
Leaders can contribute to workplace conditions in a positive way by ensuring:
learning spaces are an active actionable process for each team (including in team meetings)
how the leader responds when people question, disagree, make mistakes or bring something difficult to their attention is equitable, logical, empathetic and consistent
adherence by all, to the organisations code of ethics, respecting human rights which impacts organisational justice
application of consistent, connected and informed practices when working with any staff member to ensure they feel they matter (remembering to ‘observe don’t absorb’ another person’s level of self-regulation)
transparency in their own process of accountability and leadership practices (for succession planning as well as the leaders own human rights)
the tone of a psychologically safe workplace culture is set, and support of that ongoing culture is maintained, through straight forward conversations, active reflection and raising awareness with all staff in an ongoing manner.
trust is apparent in the level of autonomy each staff member has in designing and maintaining their roles and tasks, to ensure continued productivity and a sense of contribution (this is also part of mattering)
individuals and teams understand they have a responsibility to negotiate differences respectfully and when required, timely escalation occurs, ensuring the disagreement does not undermine workplace culture, relationships or outcomes
🌿Learning and psychosocial hazard prevention
Workplace conditions that support a learning ecosystem contribute significantly to psychosocial hazard prevention.
When people can safely raise concerns such as excessive workload, poor support, low role clarity, poor workplace relationships, bullying or inadequate organisational change processes, and still be engaged in a reciprocal and progressive conversation rather than being dismissed or punished, the workplace is beginning to show their actual willingness to contribute to a learning environment, and is displaying genuine recognition of the value of the staff.
Speaking up does not by itself, remove a psychosocial hazard but a workplace where people can safely say “Something isn't working here” has a greater opportunity to identify risks early.
Learning ecosystem from intention to action:
1. Individual (cultivate your own growth & learning)
What do you notice, question and do?
Daily: What did you learn today, name one thing?
Weekly: Identify one assumption or task you didn’t understand, explore further information and where you can resolve it.
Fortnightly: Keep a learning list (any format), or on your desk where you can write words, tasks, systems etc that you don’t understand (then tick them off as you follow up)
Monthly: Review your learning list, are you following up? Is anything hindering follow up, is that maybe more of the issue that impacts your learning? What can you do next?
Seek out a person in your organisation that you look up to and observe what you like about their professional practices, chat with them and ask for guidance.
2. Team or service (make learning part of the work)
Where do you notice it, question it and do it?
Team meetings: Include a section where some (or all) team members do a 5-minute share about these weeks “big learning moment” (positive & negative).
Team learning space: Create a Microsoft Team’s channel, folder on your computer or space in your staff room to share resources that each individual has engaged in and share it with your team. Put a note with a quick 1 paragraph summary about why you engage in it.
Challenge check in (not more than once a fortnight initially): After a challenge has arisen (in 24 hours), have a process to check in, whether that challenge is resolved, what needs to happen next and/or is there anything that could be changed if you had an opportunity to manage it again.
Quarterly: Review the challenges, learning and successes, get team feedback (their voices only) on how they are doing and what needs to happen next AND celebrate the progress (e.g. challenges check is now happening automatically
3. Organisation (Intentionally design conditions for learning)
How do you support it?
Establish: Shared purpose, linking your philosophy to your actual practices rather than just a statement on a website.
Enable: Allocate structured and unstructured, time, space & resources to support knowledge gaining and opportunities to put knowledge into practice (set up a team’s site or a ‘learning table’ in the staff room)
Model: Ensure you “walk your talk” and role model curiosity, constructive and respectful interactions and even be transparent about your mistakes and how you resolved them
Adapt: Gain team feedback, adapt your practices, systems and the environment to the team vision and link this to the organisation in real ways.
How will you know it’s working?
People are asking questions, sharing knowledge, helping each other, seeking feedback and raising concerns freely.
Practices are changing, decision making is distributing, behaviours are aligning and work processes are becoming consistent, streamlined, clear and equitable.
Sustained engagement, flow in each day and week, tasks done and the buzz of open conversations, will become a normal sight and sound in your workplace.
🍃 Takeaways
A curiosity culture can be the beginning of meaningful & mattering focused learning workplace.
Curiosity needs supportive conditions from leaders and voices and actions from staff, if it is to become an accepted daily workplace behaviour.
Psychological safety invites people to question, explore and challenge without unnecessary interpersonal risk.
Constructive challenge and psychological safety are not opposing concepts; they can exist together.
Creating opportunities where speaking up is simply part of having a professional conversation, can support the early identification of psychosocial hazards.
⭕ Reflective questions
What happens in your workplace when someone asks a question that challenges the usual way of doing (or saying) things?
What conditions in your workplace help people feel able to say, “I don't know,” “I disagree,” or “I'm concerned about this”?
What do you feel you could be learning, if people felt safer to be curious in your workplace?
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