EP 113: Curiosity as a Bridge: Uncovering Fears and Building Connections with Scott Shigeoka

The Unburdened Leader

How does curiosity show up in your life, work, and relationships?

Does your curiosity influence your strategy or planning? Or do you follow your curiosity to gain more knowledge or deepen your understanding of topics or viewpoints? Do you lean on curiosity to help you get to know someone better in ways that satisfy your interests or deepen your connection?

Do you keep following your curiosity even if it leads to uncomfortable or unknown places?

Our curiosity can reveal much about us, our interests, and our capacity for hope, discomfort, and imagination. But just as important is HOW we use our curiosity.

When we wield our curiosity to prove a point, we can cause division and harm. And when we use curiosity to honor others and our vulnerability, we can build the bridges necessary to cultivate the spaces we dream about and desire.

Today’s guest has combined his own lived experiences and research on curiosity and bridge-building into a powerful, nuanced book and set of practices on curiosity and how we use it in our relationships.

Scott Shigeoka believes curiosity has the power to transform your life and change the world. It's the key to connection, healing, and personal growth. It's a critical practice for your relationships, leadership, and life satisfaction. In his book, Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World, Scott teaches readers to strengthen their curiosity muscles with his signature DIVE method.

Scott has appeared on The Today Show, Harvard Business Review, NPR, The Guardian, and CNBC, and he has spoken at Google, Microsoft, Pixar, IDEO, Meta, Airbnb, and universities and schools around the world and teaches at The University of Texas at Austin.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How Scott’s cross-country road trip showed in real-time that approaching fears with curiosity builds connection, understanding, and possibility
• The limits and boundaries to approaching others with curiosity in the moment
• Why we need to bring curiosity and humility when we catch our own biases
• How social and structural power dynamics influence how we balance curiosity, discomfort, and anger in a group
• Three key questions to ask yourself to identify if your curiosity about another person or situation is invasive or predatory
• How letting go of certainty opens up possibilities and allows for growth

Learn more about Scott Shigeoka:

• Website
• Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World
• Instagram: @scottshigeoka

Learn more about Rebecca:

• rebeccaching.com
• Work With Rebecca
• Sign up for the weekly Unburdened Leader Email

Resources:

• Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, Brené Brown
• The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, Tom Hanks
• Billie Eilish - LUNCH
• Inside Out 2
• Beyoncé - RENAISSANCE