If you notice your team doesn’t seem as engaged lately, it may not be a problem with effort. It may be a problem with curiosity. When people feel invisible at work, they usually don’t give their all. This isn’t because they don’t care about their work, but because they feel like no one is curious about them as individuals.
The good news is that leaders can turn this disengagement around. Leadership expert Dr. Debra Clary says it starts by becoming more curious about your team members. A large portion of the workforce feels like their boss doesn’t know them and doesn’t care to know them. This, she says, can lead to disengagement and stagnation. Instead, she recommends changing how you lead and becoming more curious. We share her thoughts in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
- Make curiosity contagious. You don’t need to give an elaborate speech or presentation. You just need to ask questions and be willing to listen. Dr. Clary says curiosity isn’t a soft skill but a strategic advantage. Imagine replacing “Did you hit your numbers?” with “What shifts are you noticing in consumer buying patterns?” and “Where could a small change create an outsized impact?” Leaders should ask and then pause to listen. This is how teams move from compliance to contribution, unlocking new opportunities and growth.
- Create space for connection. Dr. Clary points out that disengagement often stems from not feeling seen, heard or valued. People don’t disengage because they stop working hard — they disengage because they don’t feel like they belong. You can build connections in small moments. Simply pause long enough to ask, “How are you, really?”
- Reward curiosity rather than just results. Most organizations celebrate outcomes such as hitting a sales target, launching on time or closing the deal. But if leaders only reward results, Dr. Clary says they risk discouraging the behaviors that make those results possible in the first place. Take notice of not only your team members’ contributions, but how they achieved those outcomes. Spotlight them in a meeting or thank them for raising a tough question or sharing a lesson learned.
When you become a more curious leader, your team notices. They begin to feel that you care about connection and not just outcomes. As a result, they show up with higher energy and more creative ideas, and disengagement begins to fade.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Dr. Debra Clary is CEO of The Clary Group. She is a recognized authority on leadership judgment, decision-making and organizational trust.
