Curiosity

How can curiosity deepen understanding while respecting other people?

Curiosity invites us to notice, ask and leave room for an answer we did not expect. We can explore what works, what delights us and what we do not yet understand. Reflection also turns curiosity toward our own assumptions. When another person's experience is involved, an invitation to share should leave them free to decline or keep something private. A useful question serves understanding and takes account of the relationship and setting in which it is asked.

A question can also wait. “Would you like to talk about it?” gives the other person a choice that a series of probing questions may take away.

A question to sit with (optional): What would I like to understand, and how can I explore it while respecting another person’s freedom to share or decline?