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Curiosity Redefines the Limits

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Curiosity Redefines the Limits

Advantages Gained from Life, the Workplace, and the Boardroom

Forbes Books,

15 min read
8 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

Curiosity isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have for anyone climbing the career ladder.

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Editorial Rating

8

getAbstract Rating

  • Engaging
  • Insider's Take
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Innovative people don’t always have the answers, but they know that asking the right questions gives them a strategic edge. In this engaging memoir, pioneering electrical engineer Rodney C. Adkins shares how curiosity shaped his life and career, including his years as a senior vice president at IBM. Adkins explains how principles he learned from his parents, college fraternity, and mentors, as well as karate, positioned him for leadership in the corporate world. He encourages you to harness the “curiosity advantage” and take charge of your career by asking for opportunities, delivering results, and mentoring others.

Summary

Develop a “curiosity advantage” by embracing lifelong learning.

As a child, Rodney Adkins loved to investigate how devices worked. He tinkered with clocks, radios, and vacuum cleaners, and even lawnmower parts to build his own motorized scooter. Adkins’s parents didn’t punish him for dismantling their household appliances. Rather, they encouraged him to cultivate an insatiable sense of curiosity — a trait that, ultimately, helped transform him into a lifelong learner who could handle setbacks constructively. For example, when Adkins’s curiosity about bicycle chains led him to lose the tip of his right index finger, he worked to become ambidextrous: He learned to write, draw, play sports, and even eat with chopsticks using either hand.

Instead of seeing your circumstances as limits on what you can accomplish, use curiosity to explore ways to overcome the challenges you face and achieve the results you want. Asking open-ended questions like “how,” “why,” and “what if” will help you continuously uncover new knowledge and develop your ability to pursue innovative solutions to tough problems. Treat every experience as a learning opportunity. When you succeed, build on those...

About the Author

Rodney C. Adkins worked for 33 years as an electrical engineer and business leader at IBM, where he rose to become a senior vice president. He has served on the boards of numerous organizations, including Avnet and UPS.

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