Being Curious as a Public Servant
Disclaimer: The summaries and interpretations provided on this page are unofficial and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS).
Summary
- Dr. William Hatcher from Augusta University presents on curiosity in public service, based on his book “The Curious Public Administrator” and five years of research on decision-making processes in government
- Curiosity is defined as the intellectual motivation to objectively learn how the world works, serving as a foundational approach to evidence-based decision-making in public administration
- Public administration fundamentally involves making decisions for communities, and approaching this work with curiosity means seeking answers about how the world works rather than relying on preconceived notions
- The business sector has long recognized the importance of curiosity through extensive research published in Harvard Business Review and MIT, showing its value for organizational success and individual wellbeing
- Dr. Hatcher’s interest in this topic began after reading a 2018 New Yorker article by Atul Gawande about how medical professionals must remain curious and evidence-based even when treating patients who have committed horrible crimes
- Public administrators face similar ethical challenges where they must make evidence-based decisions and policies while setting aside personal biases and preconceived notions about how the world should work
- Research from psychology and private sector studies shows that curious individuals tend to be happier, better adjusted, and more effective in their professional roles
- Curiosity involves recognizing gaps in one’s knowledge and actually enjoying the process of discovering what you don’t know, rather than being uncomfortable with uncertainty
- Five key dimensions of curiosity have been identified in workplace research, with four being positive traits and one potentially negative thrill-seeking behavior
- The four positive dimensions include recognizing knowledge gaps, enjoying the unknown, practicing social curiosity to work with others in finding answers, and having tolerance for uncertainty
- Social curiosity is particularly important in public administration since most work is done in teams, requiring collaboration to advance knowledge about how the world works
- Curious public administrators must have tolerance for not knowing everything and be comfortable with only knowing small portions about complex topics they’re addressing
- The theoretical framework for curious public administrators identifies them as knowledge seekers who practice empathy in the workplace and show curiosity about both colleagues and the communities they serve
- The best public administrators typically ask how decisions will affect the communities they serve as their first consideration when making choices
- Managers who practice empathy, seek knowledge, and remain curious about their communities create organizations that are more adaptive, able to change, and capable of making better decisions
- Four research hypotheses emerge from this framework: curious public administrators view their job as searching for knowledge, express empathy for those they serve, express caring behaviors for individuals they serve, and stress the importance of learning in their work descriptions
- The research methodology involved collecting data from city managers in the United States, taking advantage of the federal system’s approximately 90,000 local governments including thousands of cities and counties
Actionable Advice
- Approach public service work with the foundational motivation of seeking answers about how the world works rather than relying on assumptions
- Recognize and acknowledge gaps in your own knowledge instead of pretending to know everything about complex topics
- Develop comfort with uncertainty and view not knowing everything as an opportunity for growth rather than a problem
- Practice social curiosity by actively working with colleagues and team members to find answers and solutions collaboratively
- Make evidence-based decisions by looking at data and research rather than relying solely on preconceived notions or personal biases
- Ask "How will this affect the communities we serve" as your first question when making administrative decisions
- Express empathy for both colleagues and the communities you serve by trying to understand their perspectives and needs
- Stress the importance of continuous learning about your job tasks, role responsibilities, and the people you serve
- Develop tolerance for only knowing partial information about complex topics while continuing to seek more complete understanding
- Practice objectivity by recognizing your own biases and actively seeking evidence when faced with important decisions
- View your job as fundamentally involving the search for knowledge rather than just completing routine administrative tasks
- Express caring behaviors toward the individuals and communities your public service work is designed to help