When you ask people who the most creative individuals are, the answer is almost always “kids.” Children are naturally imaginative, playful, honest and, most importantly, curious. They incessantly ask questions to understand the world around them. This relentless curiosity is a powerful tool for creativity and innovation, one that we lose as we grow older.

Unfortunately, the traditional education system plays a significant role in this loss of curiosity and, in turn, creativity. From an early age, children are taught to color within the lines and to stop asking “why” because there’s supposedly only one correct answer. This approach stifles the very skills that make us human — imagination, curiosity, empathy, and creativity. These are also the hardest to program into artificial intelligence, which is used in almost all business processes, from customer service and inventory management to content production.

For business leaders navigating this landscape, fostering curiosity isn’t just a nice to have; it’s essential for creativity, innovation and organizational success. Reigniting that childlike curiosity and creativity can unlock profound insights and lead to groundbreaking solutions.

To help you embrace a creative mindset for better business outcomes, discover my strategies in the rest of this article I wrote for Forbes here.

Photo Credit: Getty Images / Forbes