Expertise Isn’t Enough Anymore
Knowledge has become abundant – even automated. What’s scarce is curiosity. Joe Lalley, author of Question to Learn, believes the future of leadership depends less on having answers and more on asking the right questions.
“As expertise grows, curiosity fades,” he says. “People stop asking questions because they think they should already know.”
Lalley defines expertise as the fusion of lived experience and curiosity. Without that balance, leaders risk becoming disconnected from the evolving reality around them.
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The Leadership Trap: The Curse of Knowing
Traditional hierarchies rewarded certainty. The expert at the top was expected to decide, not to wonder. But today’s complexity punishes that mindset.
“Be curious, not judgmental,” Lalley reminds leaders – a principle that’s simple in theory, radical in practice. The act of pausing before prescribing, of asking “Can you tell me more about that?” builds context and connection.
Curiosity doesn’t weaken authority – it strengthens insight.
Meetings Reveal Culture More Than Values Do
Forget the mission statement. If you really want to understand an organisation’s culture, Lalley says, “spend fifteen minutes in a meeting.”
He’s right. Meetings are where tone, trust, and truth surface. When leaders dominate the conversation or announce the desired outcome upfront, they quietly shut down curiosity.
A simple shift – “Tell me more about that idea” – can transform a meeting from performance to exploration. “The way people interact in meetings,” Lalley insists, “is the clearest indicator of whether curiosity exists in the organisation.”
Vulnerability: The Hidden Skill of Great Leaders
Curiosity and vulnerability are inseparable. Both require a willingness to admit you don’t know.
Lalley recalls a moment when a CEO asked him: “Is this what our customers actually want?” He realised he didn’t have the answer. When he admitted that, the CEO responded, “Then let’s find out.”
That single exchange reframed leadership for him – from being the expert in the room to being the explorer beside you.
Leaders who show vulnerability don’t lose authority – they gain authenticity.
When Curiosity Meets Artificial Intelligence
AI can generate answers faster than any human, but it cannot care. It lacks lived experience — the emotional and contextual wisdom that drives real innovation.
“The danger,” Lalley warns, “is that people start outsourcing their curiosity. They stop thinking critically because the machine gives them a polished response.”
Instead of replacing human questioning, AI should amplify it. The most effective teams will be those that combine critical thinking with intelligent tools – using AI to accelerate discovery, not to avoid it.
Rethinking Work: What Questions Should We Be Asking?
Lalley ends every leadership session with three deceptively simple questions:
- Do I enjoy what I do?
- Am I good at what I do?
- Is what I do in demand?
If the answer isn’t “yes” to all three, he says, curiosity becomes your compass. Ask why. Explore what’s missing. Realign.
Building a Culture of Curiosity
Curiosity can’t be mandated – it must be modelled. When leaders ask, listen, and change their minds in public, they give permission for others to do the same.
That’s how innovation takes root – not through strategy decks, but through questions that start with “What if?”
In a world where algorithms generate certainty, curiosity remains humanity’s last competitive advantage.
Joe Lalley has held leadership roles at Columbia University, MTV/Viacom, WWE, PwC, and his own consultancy, Joe Lalley Experience Design. His client portfolio spans global brands and organizations such as Meta, Pfizer, Cisco, Chegg, General Assembly, Match Group/Tinder, Latham & Watkins, and Lam Research, as well as mission-driven groups like the American Physical Society, Optica, Banyan Global, and CAQH.
