Episode 367: Five Curiosity Practices that Took My Leadership to the Next Level
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In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin shares the story of how one question—“How do people actually do this?”—helped her go from improv workshop facilitator with zero keynote bookings to speaking on stages at Amazon, LinkedIn, and major association conferences. Along the way, she discovered that curiosity is a career-building practice.
Erin breaks down the five curiosity practices she used to build her speaking career from scratch and how she applied those same practices to help team member Cristy von create her first keynote. Whether you’re navigating a career pivot, developing your leadership skills, or wondering what your next move should be, this episode will help you stop waiting for the perfect plan and start pulling the thread.
Curiosity Is a Career-Building Practice
Curiosity is a skill you can intentionally practice. Erin shares how asking better questions helped her move from having zero keynote bookings to speaking on stages at Amazon, LinkedIn, and major association conferences.
Study People Who’ve Already Done It
Instead of trying to figure everything out from scratch, look for people who are already doing what you want to do. Erin explains how studying their paths, choices, and content can reveal shortcuts, possibilities, and questions you didn’t know to ask.
Learn Before You Invest
You don’t always need to hire a coach, find a mentor, or buy a course to take your next step. Erin shares why starting with free resources can help you do your homework, find the right fit, and make smarter decisions about where to invest your time and money.
Borrow the Room Before You Build Your Own
Erin breaks down how free speaking gigs and smaller stages gave her a place to experiment, gather feedback, and refine her skills before bigger opportunities came along.
Your Community Can Show You What’s Possible
Career growth doesn’t have to happen in isolation. Erin explores how finding the right professional community can expand your perspective, connect you with people who’ve been where you want to go, and help you better understand where you fit.
Stop Waiting for the Perfect Plan
You don’t need to know every step before you take the first one. Erin’s advice? Name the thing you want to do, find the people who know how to do it, and start pulling the thread. Curiosity can turn “What do I do next?” into a much more useful question: “How do people actually do this?”
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