The Curious Advantage

by Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown, Garrick Jones

The Curious Advantage is an exploration of the behaviour of curiosity and its central role in the digital age, taking the widest possible exploration of all things curious—historical, contemporary, neuro-scientific, anthropological, behavioural and business. Curiosity has profound implications for organisations, leaders and individuals inhabiting the digital reality. The Curious Advantage provides pragmatic tools and case studies and makes the case for how curiosity is the greatest driver of value in the new digital age. Curiosity is at the heart of the skills required to successfully navigate our digital lives when all futures are uncertain. The Curious Advantage introduces the 7C’s of Curiosity model—a useful tool for anyone wanting to lead a curious organisation or who wants to challenge themselves to be actively curious. In this wonderfully pragmatic book, Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown and Garrick Jones provide the roadmap for curiously navigating and unlocking the opportunities of the new digital reality.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2020

Reviews

[Mario Sailer · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first 70 pages or so can be condensed into on sentence: "It is good to be curious" or "Curious people and organizations have an advantage".
Next, the book plunges into the phrase "sailing the seven c's" of curiosity, which are:
- context
- community
- curation
- creativity and construction: the curiosity engine
- criticality
- confidence
This is where a lot of stuff gets mixed up. The book deviates from curiosity into learning, knowledge management and all sorts of topics that can be somehow connected to curiosity. This is also true for the last part dealing with the curios learner, the curios leader and a culture of curiosity.

In my view the book misses its topic of "The Curios Advantage" and revolves around all sorts of topics that can be somehow related to curiosity. In doing so it pretty much stays on the surface. In a management or consultant style the book does not miss to refer to other well known books like "Drive" from Daniel Pink, "Mindset" from Carol Dweck (who's notion of the growth mindset is very popular, but within physiologists disputed), "Flow" from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and many others without going into details (of course "The fearless Organization" from Amy C. Edmondson is also mentioned) . They also to not miss to refer to how our brain works using some buzzwords here as well like Amygdala, Hippocampus, Dopamine (I missed Oxytocin however) and others, presumably to give the book a scientific touch.
If you are a curios reader, you probably find nothing new in the book. I you are a critically curios reader with some background knowledge in Psychology, Neuroscience and Management you may even be appalled by the unstructured and superficial content. The Novartis Showcase that is sometimes mentioned does not help much with this.

[Krista]

Eh, I've grazed through small doses over multiple months -- not quite what I was looking for in terms of how I was hoping to use for coursework since it was more "business" driven. However, still a few good nuggets about the value and need for creative curiosity especially in today's world the uprise of AI.

[Ozgun · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok, important concept but an article would suffice

[Jung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Ashcroft, Simon Brown, and Garrick Jones' "The Curious Advantage" explores the powerful role curiosity plays in personal and professional growth, especially in the digital age. The book opens with a vivid metaphor: the curious encounter with an unfamiliar sea creature in a remote setting, symbolizing how curiosity can lead to new discoveries and enrich experiences. The authors argue that curiosity is a fundamental human trait that drives us to explore, learn, and grow. It's not only a personal driver but also a key factor in societal advancement, having propelled human survival and development throughout history.

Curiosity manifests in various forms, from specific curiosity, which drives us to fill knowledge gaps, to general curiosity, which encourages exploration. Both conscious and subconscious curiosity play a role in how we navigate life, sparking learning and fostering connections. The authors emphasize that curiosity isn't just about satisfying intellectual thirst but is also integral to enhancing creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. It's the foundation for thriving in an increasingly digital and fast-changing world, where adaptability and continuous learning are crucial.

The book examines how curiosity influences societal advancement, using the Great Library of Alexandria as an example of a hub where curiosity-driven knowledge fostered innovation. The rise of digital technology has similarly transformed societies by emphasizing continuous learning, creativity, and soft skills like critical thinking. The authors point to Satya Nadella's transformation of Microsoft's culture, where fostering curiosity led to revitalized innovation, as an example of curiosity's power in organizational success. In this new digital landscape, curiosity becomes a key competitive advantage, allowing individuals and organizations to stay relevant, innovate, and excel.

To help readers cultivate curiosity, the authors introduce the Seven Cs framework: context, community, curation, creativity, construction, criticality, and confidence. Each of these elements plays a role in fostering curiosity and making it actionable. Context involves understanding the broader environment around a subject, helping to generate fresh ideas. Community emphasizes the importance of learning from others, sharing knowledge, and engaging in collaborative exploration. Curation involves filtering information to avoid overload, ensuring that curiosity is channeled productively. Creativity and construction go hand-in-hand, with curiosity sparking new ideas and construction turning those ideas into tangible outcomes.

Criticality is about asking the right questions, challenging assumptions, and considering different perspectives. This encourages deeper learning and prevents tunnel vision. Finally, confidence is built through curiosity. By embracing challenges and learning from both successes and failures, individuals grow more secure in their abilities and more willing to explore new frontiers.

The book concludes by illustrating how curiosity can be applied to learning, leadership, and culture. Curious learners are more adaptable and open to new experiences, continuously expanding their skillsets. Leaders who embrace curiosity foster a culture of innovation, motivating their teams to tackle challenges creatively and stay ahead of change. In organizations, cultivating a culture of curiosity and continuous learning not only leads to growth but also helps attract and retain top talent. By embracing failure as a natural part of learning, organizations can foster an environment where curiosity thrives.

In essence, "The Curious Advantage" shows that curiosity is the key to navigating the complexities of the digital age. It encourages readers to harness their curiosity to fuel innovation, adapt to change, and ultimately thrive in both personal and professional spheres. Through the Seven Cs framework, the authors provide practical tools to cultivate curiosity and apply it to foster growth, creativity, and resilience.

[Mir Shahzad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:

The curiosity drives growth and innovation, and that embracing this trait opens doors to new experiences, learning opportunities, and deeper connections. The seven C's offer a framework to develop and apply curiosity. Context helps you understand the bigger picture, while community emphasizes the importance of collaborative learning. Curation helps you manage information, creativity and construction turn ideas into reality, and criticality ensures you're considering diverse perspectives. Confidence builds the more you engage with curiosity and learn from challenges. To foster curiosity, create supportive environments, prioritize soft skills, and establish habits like regular learning sessions. In the end, curiosity is essential for navigating change, so embrace it, nurture it, and let it guide you toward growth and success.

[John Stepper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I’m already a believer in the Curious Advantage, I thoroughly enjoyed the eclectic mix of stories, examples, references, and interviews. The engaging writing style is both intelligent & charming (tough to do given there were three authors!). They seem like the kinds of people you’d want to talk with over a long dinner & good wine, and I would like to read more by them.

As evidence that it “worked,” reading this book further sparked my curiosity, and I wound up buying several more books that were cited.

[Ashwini Mathur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating to read about the role curiosity has played in the societies, specially the succesful ones, in the past and how from being an individual characteristic, it can play a role in a society and in a succesful corporate. Many examples with an exhaustive reference list, this book is a treasure trove for many ideas to implement and drive change, adjust to the digital age and manage crisis like COVID. Strongly suggest that it should be read.

[Julie]

A highly insightful and informative journey through Curiosity and it’s importance in the digital age. This book is a valuable resource.. beautifully written and well structured, weaving different aspects of Curiosity together to create a seamless, entertaining and inspiring read. Thoroughly loved it, so much so that I'm reading it again! The podcasts are also brilliant, highly recommend those too.

[Alan Ramić · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curious? This is a path to wisdom in business

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be wiser in doing business. Authors describe simple and applicable model of making curiosity part of you and your organsation. I appreciate stories and examples from Novartis. There is also an excellent podcast launched with this book - highly recommended.

[Bhaskar Natarajan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A structured yet fluid guide on developing Curiosity

A practical approach to develop like 'Curiosity', something that is very difficult to explain, is handled well. Digital disruption is the norm of the day, this book is a must for those who want to be successful in building leaders of future.

[Tom Langemo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good tidbits of information that I’ve bookmarked for later reflection especially around organizing curiosity, investing in it, and leading with it. It gets a little lost along the way in the models and goes in (my perspective) tangents that if removed could be a tighter read, but all-in-all a valuable book to keep and refer back to.

[Loren Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a compilation of many other things already read...

[Alberto Vakkesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, something interesting!! Valuable viewpoints about curiosity & inquisitiveness

[Sarah Cupitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting take on building a culture of curiosity

WIP BT NOTES

Parts I liked:
- The sun is setting, and the air is filled with the scent of saltwater and the remnants of dinner.
- the seven Cs—confidence, criticality, construction, creativity, curation, community, and context
- curiosity can be conscious, where you actively decide to learn something new, or subconscious, where a subtle attraction draws you toward certain ideas or experiences.
- Explore broadly to gather context, but then narrow your focus to the most relevant elements.

Other notes: TBA BT
- When you encounter something unexpected or amusing, it captures your attention, leading to better memory retention and a deeper understanding of the material.
- Parenting, education systems, and workplaces prioritize safety and consistency over exploration and questioning. But in a world that's becoming more digital and automated, curiosity is increasingly valued. It strengthens our ability to learn, make decisions, communicate, and think creatively. In short, staying curious helps you become more effective and creative in both your personal and professional life.
- The age of digital technology is now reshaping society, pushing us to question our relevance and the role of technology in our lives. As we become more connected, we gain more time and a renewed desire to explore and be curious. This shift is fostering a culture of continuous learning, where staying informed and adapting quickly are essential. The rapid adoption of tools like AI is enhancing our ability to learn and solve problems in real time. With traditional skills quickly becoming outdated, the emphasis is moving toward soft skills like creativity and critical thinking. In this new world, being curious and open to new ideas is a key advantage because it enables you to keep pace with change and remain relevant.
- Microsoft rekindled its relevance, becoming a leader in cloud computing and artificial intelligence. This shift demonstrates how fostering curiosity can rejuvenate a struggling organization, helping it adapt, innovate, and ultimately lead in a competitive market.
- CONTEXT, COMMUNITY AND CURATION
- If you expose yourself to a broader context, you're more likely to stumble upon fresh ideas that spark your curiosity and inspire further exploration.
- Creativity, construction, criticality, and confidence. This hands-on approach makes sure your curiosity leads to action, rather than just staying an abstract concept.
- don't shy away from questions that might bring uncomfortable answers. Those are often the ones that offer the deepest insights.
- the more you embrace new experiences and navigate uncertainty, the more secure you'll feel.
- Applying curiosity to learning, leadership, and culture.