Create an Experimentation Culture with "Curiosity Hours"

Curiosity is the fuel of creativity, discovery and innovation.  As we go through our formal education, a subtle but insidious shift occurs. The open-ended questions that we relentlessly asked as infants are gradually replaced by a demand for definitive answers. We are rewarded for knowing, not for asking. The systematic suppression of curiosity stifles individual potential but also cripples creativity. The pursuit of “knowing” can be the enemy of discovery.

Too often, in the corporate world, curiosity is discouraged. The emphasis is on efficiency and productivity rather than questioning and experimentation. The prevailing mantra is “focus on what you know works,” rather than “explore what you don’t know.” We are encouraged to specialize, to master a specific skill set, and to remain within the comfortable confines of our expertise. But often the most interesting ideas and the most fruitful innovations lie in the unknown, the unexplored and the unexpected.

The “Curiosity Hour” concept is based on a well-known business philosophy: dedicating protected time for employees to explore intriguing questions, challenge assumptions and pursue projects outside their immediate duties. It is a development of previous initiatives such as brainstorms, "20 Percent Time," "Innovation Sprints" or "Hackathons." These ideas are built on the principle that self-directed exploration generates employee engagement and is a potent catalyst for breakthrough innovation.

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