This week’s Soft Skills Forum brought a refreshing and practical discussion on a topic that often hides in plain sight: strategic curiosity. Led by Dobromir Aleksikj, Software Developer at Nion, the session explored how curiosity – when used intentionally – can transform the way we solve problems, communicate, and innovate at work.
Why Strategic Curiosity Matters
Assumptions are time savers – until they aren’t. Many project delays, misunderstandings, and communication gaps come from misinterpreting initial requirements or failing to check what we think we know.
Strategic curiosity helps us work smarter by reducing misunderstandings through verification rather than guesswork, allowing us to uncover the real problem instead of focusing on surface-level symptoms. It also reveals blind spots others may have overlooked, strengthens alignment and teamwork through clearer communication, and fuels innovation by encouraging thoughtful “why” and “what if” questions that open the door to better solutions.
In fast-paced environments, asking a few targeted questions early can save hours – or even days – later.
Three Types of Strategic Curiosity
Dobromir introduced three practical modes of curiosity, each serving a different purpose:
1. Clarifying Curiosity
Helps us understand a task or decision more accurately.
Examples:
- “Can you walk me through the reasoning behind this?”
- “What does success look like here?”
2. Exploratory Curiosity
Expands possibilities and prevents narrow thinking.
Examples:
- “What alternatives exist?”
- “Has anyone solved this in another project?”
3. Challenging Curiosity
Tests assumptions and surfaces hidden risks.
Examples:
- “Is this assumption still valid?”
- “What might break this approach?”
Each type helps avoid the trap of rushing into solutions before we fully understand the problem.
The Curiosity Map: A Practical Tool
One of the most actionable parts of the presentation was the Curiosity Map – a simple, 20–30 second mental checklist designed to bring clarity before starting any task or decision.
It includes five steps:
- What do I know? (Only facts, not assumptions)
- What don’t I know? (Identify gaps)
- What do I need to know? (Prioritize what affects outcomes)
- Who can help me understand this faster? (Ask the right person)
- What is the most strategic question I can ask right now?
One well-placed question can redirect an entire project.
Curiosity in Collaboration and Innovation
Strategic curiosity is about genuinely trying to understand others. When approached with respect and the intention to learn rather than confront, it becomes a powerful tool for strengthening team dynamics. It helps build trust by showing others that their perspective matters, reduces conflict by clarifying assumptions before they escalate, and improves communication through more thoughtful and open dialogue. It also supports better alignment of expectations, ensuring everyone is working toward the same goals, while encouraging a richer cross-functional perspective that strengthens collaboration across different roles and departments.
And as Dobromir noted, innovation begins with curiosity, not ideas. The simplest “Why do we do it this way?” can spark improvements that ripple across teams.
Practical Habits to Start Using Immediately
Dobromir shared several easy habits that anyone can apply tomorrow:
- Pause before reacting
- Ask “What am I missing?”
- Add one extra targeted question in every conversation
- Verify instead of assume
- Seek other perspectives
- Stay open-minded, even when it’s uncomfortable
Strategic curiosity isn’t about quantity – it’s about intention and timing.
Final Thoughts
Curiosity becomes powerful when it has purpose. As you step into your next task, meeting, or conversation, consider where one well-placed question could reduce ambiguity, uncover a blind spot, or improve collaboration.
Sometimes, one good question can change the direction of a whole project.
Thank you to everyone who joined, shared reflections, and contributed to a thoughtful and engaging session. And special thanks to Dobromir for leading us through a topic that feels simple – yet has deep impact on how we work, communicate, and grow.
For more topics like this, explore the rest of our blog posts here.