|
|
|
By Jackie Damrau, Contributing Editor
The unequivocal adage "Curiosity killed the cat; satisfaction brought it back" is a powerful statement when you think about our careers as technical communicators.
Steve Strauss, in his 3-Minute Coaching e-zine, explains how the absence of assumptions helps foster curiosity. He states that "curiosity is one of our most useful human attributes," while assumptions are shortcuts that we use to predict what is coming next. Like the cat, we use curiosity to explore, to discover, and to learn new things. As technical communicators, we always seek to know more about a new technology, a new product, or a simple concept as we interact with our subject-matter experts. This curiosity helps us to write a better user's manual, training guide, or job aid. Whatever form we use for written communication, we need to keep our curiosity piqued so that we are continually learning.
Strauss says we "assume in order to appear smart, on top of things, and in charge." Are we self-centered, or do we fear wanting to spend the amount of time necessary to learn the truth? Curiosity helps us to learn the truth, or to come to our own decision, about the topic or issue. We need to stop assuming, and, instead, listen to the opinions of others. We may need to do some research on our own to become informed, but we can then speak or write more effectively, knowing that we spent the time to pique our curiosity and to dispel our assumptions.
The bottom line: Curiosity fosters growth.