Isn’t technology great? You can watch security cameras from your phone to see how your employees are doing, you can get a computer report on almost every measurement you want to analyze, and you can almost lead from your office. Too many managers are falling into this technology trap. Get out, get involved, and get curious.

Innovation comes from curiosity.

When was the last time you thought about better ways to increase revenue? Better ways to solve problems? Spent time watching employees perform their tasks and thought, “What should we be trying?” Leaders, especially in small businesses, are overwhelmed with the work on their plate and fail to take the time to exercise their curiosity. Get away from the desk and the technology, and walk around with the curious eyes of a newcomer. What answers are you missing because you aren’t curious enough?

Little problems can be the tip of bigger problems.

Investigate. I can’t count the number of times my clients have fired a problem only to realize what they knew was only the tip of the iceberg of problems this employee was causing. When you see a problem, don’t wait for it to go away. Investigate immediately. It is probably an indicator of bigger issues yet to come to the surface. Deal with them now before they become a big hairy issue.

Get to know your employees better while trying to understand what motivates them.

I’d love to tell you what motivates your employees, but the fact is that every employee has a different motivational makeup. Sure, some are similar, but we are in the age of individuality. The more you know about the individual, the more you know what makes them tick, what makes their world important, and what makes them drive just a bit harder. By asking learning questions, your curiosity will unlock and explore opportunities to improve your business through many different ways.