It’s surprisingly hard to stay curious when you’re good at your job. 🧐
I know it sounds odd, but that was a theme that emerged from our latest TIE Leadership programme with Arla Foods.
Let me explain.
The thing is, the more senior we become, and the better we get, the more people expect us to have answers. And then, the harder it becomes to say “I don’t know.”
Last month we finished a six-week Virtual Team TIE programme with a cross-disciplinary cohort from Arla’s Consumer Intelligence team. Seven people came together to crack a real business challenge for BAYIMBA Cultural Foundation in Uganda, helping them shape the future of their cultural centre and build a sustainable business model.
The outcome for Bayimba was extraordinary. And yes, I was the one in tears in the final presentation, genuinely moved by what they created together.
But what I keep reflecting on since then is how hugely experienced professionals arrived at solutions where their expertise alone wasn’t enough.
They couldn’t just contribute; they needed to understand first. They had to ask questions, and really listen to the answers, before they could advise on anything.
As the weeks went on, something began to shift. One participant summed it up perfectly in a weekly reflection “Value doesn’t come from moving quickly, but from taking the time to get clarity, alignment and creating space for deeper thinking.”
Another described the change they’re taking back to their team as “moving from driving solutions to enabling them together”.
When you place capable people somewhere certainty no longer works, something else has the chance to truly breathe.
This is what Virtual Team TIE is designed to unlock. And it’s not through theory, but instead through lived experience.
First comes curiosity, then humility, then better questions, and finally, the thing we’re all really after….better ideas.
A huge thank you to the Arla team for giving this their everything. To Bayimba for trusting the process. And to Michael Swaisland for making it happen.
Better leaders. Better companies. Better World. 🧡
