The Curiosity Muscle

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious," said Albert Einstein.

In a world saturated with information—be it from WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, GPT platforms, or relentless search engine updates—few pieces are relevant, many are not. Amid this noise, Are we becoming less curious?

Over the last few weeks, I’ve found myself navigating two very different yet surprisingly parallel journeys:

• On the professional front: conversations with clients around Agentic AI adoption.

• On the personal front: countless hospital visits, managing the care of an aging parent.

And through both, a quiet revelation has emerged: curiosity—or the lack of it—shapes outcomes more than we realize.

Curiosity in Care

My mother-in-law has been dealing with complex health issues—kidney, liver, orthopedic. While each specialist focused diligently on their respective domain, it was her orthopedic doctor who stood out.

He took a genuine, wide-angled interest in her overall well-being. He didn’t stop at bones and joints—he asked about every treatment, each symptom, and how the pieces fit together. His curiosity transcended silos, helping us navigate her healing journey with confidence and clarity.

It made me pause and wonder—what if we applied this kind of curiosity with our clients too -

In Tech, Curiosity is Often the Missing Layer

Many business leaders today are grappling with ever-accelerating technologies. Agentic AI, automation, cloud-native solutions—you name it. The tech is there. The pressure is there. But the approach often stays surface-level.

I was discussing with a colleague, it's time to build a culture of curiosity—one that puts the client’s problem at the center:

• Can this be solved through technology?

• Is it a combination of IBM offerings and other capabilities?

• Why should the client invest in this solution—what’s the outcome that truly matters?

Curiosity compels us to look beyond tools and into purpose. As technologists, it’s our job not just to implement, but to inquire—to lead with questions, not just answers.

What Am I Curious About Now?

Curiosity, when practiced intentionally, is like oxygen for problem-solving. Today, mine is fired up by two things:

• Agentic AI: Can it transform core business processes across industries? Are we on the cusp of productivity breakthroughs we haven't yet imagined?

• Aging and healthcare: After reading Being Mortal, I’m more curious than ever about how we care for the elderly—and how we can do better.

Let’s Stay Curious

In both tech and healthcare, I’ve come to realize: breakthroughs don’t just come from expertise—they come from someone brave enough to ask, “But what if...?

Few good reference reading materials & books -

https://hbr.org/2023/11/how-to-strengthen-your-curiosity-muscle