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Leading with Curiosity

For People Managers

More detailed information

The shadow a manager casts on the team is one of the biggest drivers of productivity, engagement, and the feeling of well-being of the team. Those managers who do this well, uplift the team. Those who don't stifle it. The key to effective task management and people leadership is curiosity.


Curious leaders are good at operationalizing the present as well as securing the future. They create psychological safety for the team to thrive. Curious leaders represent a high level of cognitive, empathic, and self-reflective curiosity. They are curious about the world around them, the people they work with, and their own internal conscious and unconscious drivers. They go out of their way to engage with their team, also in times of stress. They stretch their teams to excel in the present and embrace the future.


In this interactive session, we explore what we know about curiosity, why it is important for leaders, professionals, and teams, what the barriers are and what leaders can do to get better at intentional curiosity for themselves and the people in their care.

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About 

Stefaan van Hooydonk is the founder of the Global Curiosity Institute and the author of the bestselling book "The Workplace Curiosity Manifesto." He initially worked in investment consulting and established executive education at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in China. Van Hooydonk has held executive roles as Chief Learning Officer in Fortune 200 companies such as Nokia, Royal Philips, Cognizant, Saudi Aramco, Agfa, and Flipkart. He has lived and worked in Belgium, France, Hong Kong, China, Finland, the Netherlands, India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. His most recent position was as Chief Learning Officer for Cognizant, where he oversaw learning and development for over 300,000 associates worldwide.


Stefaan van Hooydonk focuses his research on workplace curiosity within companies. He asserts that curious individuals require stimulating environments to thrive, especially during times of uncertainty when intentional curiosity becomes crucial. Utilizing diagnostics he has developed, he generates insights into what drives and impedes individuals and organizations from embracing curiosity. He provides consultation to global corporations and leadership teams to enhance their curiosity quotient, advocating for the cultivation of a robust curiosity mindset. Van Hooydonk is a sought-after speaker globally, discussing the transformative power of curiosity for professionals, leaders, teams, and organizations.

Stefaan van Hooydonk

I am the 'curiosity guy'. I make leaders curious about the power of curiosity at work and all its wonderful benefits.

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