7 Ways To Nurture Employee Curiosity – And Keep ’Em Engaged

by Lisa Mckale

A state of curiosity survey by Harris Poll showed employees think curiosity should be more important:

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• Only 39% of employees say their managers are either extremely encouraging or very encouraging of curiosity
• Only 22% describe themselves as curious at work
• 66% say they face barriers to asking more questions
• 60% say their workplace creates barriers to curiosity into their work, and
• Only 10% strongly agree that their managers preferred new and unfamiliar ideas.

There are small but effective ways to keep employees eager to learn new things. Start with these seven  ideas shared by successful managers and business leaders:

1) Challenge Their Game

Give some of the big stuff to the rookies once in a while.

This levels the playing field for entry- and mid-level employees to come up with and implement top-notch ideas, instead of assuming that’s the job of the higher-ups.

“In my experience, some of the best ideas come from within the ranks,”says Cecilia Gorman, a certified John C. Maxwell speaker and trainer. “They look at things with fresh eyes and are eager to see change.”

Let employees who come up with novel ideas spearhead efforts to get them into practice, and let them know you’ll help but that it’s mainly their move. With that in mind …

2) Get Out Of Their Way

There’s no sense in encouraging employees to express ideas only to cheer them on – then stand in the way of making them happen.

If you’re just giving lip service to employees’ contributions, they’ll recognize right away that you don’t take their ideas seriously enough to act on, and they’ll stop showing the curiosity you’re looking for.

3) Make THEM Ask Questions

Albert Einstein famously said, “I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious.”

It’s impossible to know if employees have curiosity unless you allow them to ask questions, says Greg Schinkel, manager and team leader trainer. “Organizations can snuff out curiosity by dismissing questions that could lead to new discoveries.”

If your employees aren’t big questioners, Inc.com 500 entrepreneur and author Kevin Daum suggests an easy way to prompt them to do more asking. At meetings or presentations, tell employees to jot down at least three questions that occur to them during the discussion. If they don’t get to ask them during the meeting, tell them to send them to you afterward.

Even if most questions already have answers, this still provides you with an idea of how each employee is thinking about what was presented, and may even open up avenues you didn’t think ofduring the meeting.

4) Listen More Closely

You’re never going to get curiosity from your employees unless youactively mine them for ideas.

When you sense that your team has grown weary doing the same old things you tell them to do, it’s time to open it up to suggestions. If they’re curious enough to question the old, familiar processes, they might have thought of a more effective way to get things done.

See what’s churning beneath the surface when you hold regular briefings, especially those that commonly address the same problems or issues. You shouldn’t be the only one directing all the ideas and solutions for every single project.

5) Frame Learning As A Perk

Many managers think that if they encourage employees to take seminars or attend conference sessions to keep up with field advancements, the employees will think it’s just another job requirement. This tends to dampen their curiosity to learn more.

When you present learning opportunities in a more positive light, employees will feel you’re invested in their success, both in the present and the future, says Kelsey Meyer, co-founder of Influence & Co. Employees will be happier and more fulfilled, and your company will reap the benefits.

6) Put Coaching On The Front Burner

The best way to get the most curiosity out of coaching is by providing a one-on-one experience with employees.

Remember: You’re not the only one who can coach; enlisting knowledgeable employees as coaches can benefit their co-workers and their entire team.

7) Don’t Be Too Quick With Critical Feedback

When employees are unprepared for specifically targeted feedback, they’re likely to shut down, causing your coaching efforts to be wastedand potentially even backfire, says Matias Rodsevich, a PR & Communications writer at Impraise, a talent management and software company.

Any curiosity they had they’ll try to hide because they don’t want to ask “dumb questions” and come across as naïve.

Even well-intentioned coaching, especially in a one-on-one setting, can be taken personally. Make sure that even if you have to give some not-so-positive feedback, you at least commend the employee for making a good effort, especially if it involved showing curiosity and taking risks.

Keeping employees curious is an often understated but critical part of any manager’s job. The trick is to keep them engaged and invested enough so it rises to the surface – without you needing to fish for it.

We'd love to know your thoughts on this article.

Raekwon Shares His Business Philosophy: "Separate Your Business From Your Friends"

Raekwon speaks on the importance of separating business from friends and paying attention to your surroundings in an exclusive interview with Jen DeLeon.

"There’s a lot of people that don’t have great intentions and they be right there next to you acting like they’re genuine, but they don’t really give a fuck about you," says the Wu-Tang rapper. "They’re there for personal pleasure."

Raekwon has spent over two decades creating music in the business starting in the early 90s as Raekwon The Chef and still releasing relevant music today including his latest release Fly International Luxurious Art.

"Know your surroundings," Raekwon says. "Know who is really for you. I know a lot of times when we get on and we bring a lot of people around us that we think that is genuine with us but we find out later that they don't have your back in the greatest way. You know, at the end of the day it's about separating your business from your friends and everything else."

50 Cent will no longer be able to post courtroom updates to his Instagram.

In today's amusing update in 50 Cent's never-ending bankruptcy case, the judge has banned the G-Unit rapper from carrying electronic devices in the courtroom and the adjoining conference room, reports TMZ. 

The judge's order comes as a result of him not wanting 50 Cent to post anything that happens in or around the courtroom to social media. Last month, 50 posted a picture of himself in the conference room enjoying a pack of M&M's while a few stacks of $100 bills were seen stuffed in his waistband. The judge felt that the photo was evidence of the defendant not taking the case seriously. 

Last month, after a particularly heated tirade about his legal troubles, 50 announced that he'd be quitting Instagram. A quick visit to his Instagram page will show that he is still yet to retire from the social media platform, but regardless if he's planning on doing so, he'd be wise to keep news of his court dealings away from his nearly 10 million followers. 

Florida Rap Label Part Of $100 Million Federal Income Tax Fraud Scheme, Authorities Allege

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - A South Florida federal judge ruled that a Florida rap label was at the heart of a $100 million federal income tax fraud scheme, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Ringleader Harlan Decoste, who is scheduled to be sentenced today (April 7), allegedly founded the rap company GroundUp111 as a cover for the racket. The label did not produce any music and Decoste faces up to 29 years in prison for his role in the scheme.

Andy Cherrelus was sentenced to nearly eight years in prison on fraud, identity theft and other convictions, according to the Associated Press. Kerby Luma received 11 years in prison, while Frances Jeudy was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years behind bars. Frantz Decoste was hit with a four-and-a-half year sentence.

Decoste and his four accomplices received approximately $28 million in fraudulent tax refunds using approximately 29,000 stolen identities. The crew was aiming for more than $108 million of returns. 

Nicki Minaj talks engagement ring, relationship status with Meek Mill on "The Ellen Show."

Nicki Minaj is not one for labels.

In an interview with Ellen Degeneres, Minaj stated that she doesn't want to call her relationship with Meek Mill a "relationship."

“You know, I don’t know," she told Ellen. "We’re still figuring each other out. And in fact, I don’t even want to say that I’m in a relationship anymore, because I think when people hear that, they go to like the mean place.

“You know, I used to be secretive," she continued. "You guys asked me about that before on my pre-interview. I used to say, ‘I’m not in a relationship,’ even though I was in a 12-year relationship. Now I feel like just going back to that and saying, ‘You know what? I’m single.”

The topic arose after Ellen asked Minaj about her "engagement ring" and showed an image of it on the screen. “That’s not my engagement ring though," Minaj responded, "[Meek] said that that’s my second ring and that if I get a third ring that that would be the engagement ring,” 

Minaj contextualized her view on relationship labels by telling a story of what happened when she didn't post her Valentine's Day gift to Instagram.

“People said, ‘They’re not together.’ We were getting anonymous messages saying, ‘Yeah, she wasn’t with him [Meek] and she was crying all day.’ Just putting up all these things. Meanwhile, we were really in bed all day on Valentine’s Day. Like, seriously! We were in bed all day and then I got up and opened these three amazing gifts, and then I went back to bed. Then I read this story that we weren’t together on Valentine’s Day and it just made me realize that no matter how great your life is, you can’t even impress people. You just have to do you and make yourself happy and forget about trying to get everyone’s approval. It’s better just to keep those things sacred. So, now, I don’t really care to say ‘I’m in a relationship’ or ‘I’m engaged’ or whatever. There’s a boy that likes me. That’s all.

“[Meek] and I are just two souls right now passing through the universe, and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just have learned over the years to just let things be and come and go as they are going to come and go.”

How Master P Turned $10,000 Into A $350 Million Business Empire

Master P’s Empire When you browse our annual ranking of the richest rappers in the world, many of the top names are probably easy to guess. You’ve got Diddy at #1 with $500 million and Jay-Z at #2 with $475 million. The top 10 is predictably filled with some of today’s biggest entertainers like Dr. Dre, Eminem, Birdman and 50 Cent. On the other hand, many people are surprised by who comes in at #3 right behind Diddy and Jay-Z. The #3 richest rapper in the world today hasn’t had a major hit in over a decade. In fact, his once dominant rap label filed for bankruptcy back in 2003 and his most recent self released studio album sold just 75,000 copies. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, we are talking about the ultimate No Limit soldier, Percy Miller. Better known as Master P. It might be hard to fathom today, but back in the mid-to-late 90s no other rap label or CEO was more successful than Master P and No Limit Records. Master P pulled himself out of one of the roughest and poorest ghettos in New Orleans by launching a hugely successful business empire that earned him hundreds of millions of dollars. And it all started with a $10,000 life insurance settlement check. Master P – The Early Years Master P was raised in the Calliope housing projects, one of the most violent and drug infested areas of New Orleans. P planned to get his family out of the ghetto by playing in the NBA. After high school, he won a basketball scholarship to the University of Houston. Unfortunately P’s NBA dreams were dashed after he suffered a severe knee injury during the first few months of freshman year. After the injury, Master P left Houston and transferred to Merritt Junior College in Oakland to be closer to his family which had recently moved to the nearby city of Richmond. Determined to make something of himself and help his family live a better life, he soaked up as many business classes as he could at Merritt. In 1990, tragedy struck when P’s grandfather was killed in a work related accident. The one bright side of the accident was that it left Percy with a $10,000 malpractice insurance settlement check. Armed with $10,000 and two years worth of junior college business classes, Master P decided to open a record store. He found a dilapidated building and struck a deal with the owner that gave him the first three months rent free in exchange for cleaning and renovating the storefront. The 21 year old future mogul soon launched “No Limit Records & Tapes” on San Pablo Avenue in Richmond, California. To reduce costs in those early days, Master P lived in a tiny storage room in the back of the shop with his wife Sonya and their one year old son, Percy Romeo Miller, Jr (AKA the future Lil Romeo). No Limit Records & Tapes mainly sold West Coast gangster rap albums with an emphasis on local East Bay artists like Tupac, Too Short, Rappin 4 Tay and E-40. Within a few months, the store was a hit in the community and in 1991 Master P began selling his own self produced album “Get Away Clean” through the newly launched “No Limit Records” label. To support the album, Master P set out on a West Coast tour as the opening act for Tupac and Too Short. Along the way, P connected with as many promoters and DJs that he could find. In 1992, after Master P’s second album “Mama’s Bad Boy” sold more than 150,000 album independently, he decided to move No Limit Records back to New Orleans in order to make a real run at the label business. By 1994, his third album “The Ghettos Tryin to Kill Me!” sold an unheard of 250,000 units independently and No Limit Records grossed more than $900,000! Striking It Rich Pretty soon, all the major record companies came calling. Leveraging his astonishing success as an independent artist, Master P was able to secure an unprecedented deal between No Limit and Priority Records. Not only would No Limit receive a $375,000 advance for every album produced and 75%of the wholesale price for every album sold (the standard at the time for a major artist like Madonna was 25-50%), but at the end of the deal Master P would own every master recording from his entire roster of artists, including himself. Considering how successful he was as an independent artist without money, marketing or national distribution, perhaps what happened next is not surprising. Master P’s first album for Priority Records “Ice Cream Man” reached #3 on the Billboard charts in 1996 and would eventually go platinum with over 1.7 million copies sold in The US alone. No Limit quickly churned out albums for roster artists like Silkk The Shocker and C-Murder (P’s brothers), Mystikal, Mia X and Steady Mobb’n. By 1997, No Limit had produced more than 8 platinum albums. Between 1997 and 1998, No Limit released nearly 50 albums that often topped various Billboard sales charts. Master P’s 1997 album “Ghetto D”, which featured his most famous song “Make Em’ Say Uhh”, sold 3.2 million copies in The US. The single for “Make Em’ Say Uhh” sold over a million copies.

The Peak Of Success

1998 was the definitive year for Master P and No Limit Records. 1998 saw the release of Master P’s penultimate album “MP Da Last Don”. That album debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart and sold a whopping 500,000 copies in its first week alone. The album would eventually go on to sell more than four million units. Capitalizing on their success, No Limit signed super star rapper Snoop Dogg whose deal with Death Row had recently expired. Snoop’s first No Limit album “Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told” debuted at #1 on Billboard, sold 800,000 units in its first two weeks and would eventually be certified 2X platinum. Thanks to Snoop and the other hit making artists at No Limit, Master P’s label sold more than 20 million albums in 1998 alone.

As if this wasn’t enough, while No Limit was tearing up the Billboard charts, Master P was expanding his empire into a diverse array of side businesses. He launched a sports management company, a clothing line, a real estate firm, a phone sex business, a high end travel agency, a video game company and a film studio. No Limit Films produced a series of straight to VHS movies that routinely sold millions of copies. Between 1992 and 1998, No Limit Records sold $120 million worth of albums and in 1998 alone Master P’s various business ventures generated revenues of more than $160 million. As of March 2013, No Limit Records has sold nearly 80 million albums worldwide and Master P has a personal net worth of $350 million!

The Decline

No matter how much talent or luck No Limit had, it would have been extremely difficult to top the success of 1998. Between 1999 and 2002 Master P focused much of his time on trying to jump start an NBA career. He actually landed contracts with the Charlotte Hornets and the Toronto Raptors. He never made a regular season NBA roster but he did play a few seasons in the Continental and American Basketball Associations. While he was shooting hoops, No Limit did release a few more platinum albums including two from Snoop Dogg and two from his son Lil Romeo. Unfortunately, as Master P’s focus shifted to basketball, America’s taste in music shifted away from No Limit. Their most popular artists left for new labels and by December 2003 No Limit filed for bankruptcy. In 2004 Master P launched “New No Limit Records” and released a self produced album called “Living Legend: Certified D-Boy” which only sold 75,000 units. In 2010 the label was renamed “No Limit Forever Records” and today they represent a handful of lower and mid-level rap acts. But don’t count Master P out just yet, as he proved time and again, with a little hustle and luck there really is no limitto your success.