Question-Week ending Sunday 04/04/04:
Which professional is MOST EFFECTIVE in their job by being the MOST CURIOUS? Please read our Pre-Poll Commentary before taking this poll.
Pre-Poll Commentary:
Our tenth keyword in our poll series on moods and emotions is CURIOSITY. For the purpose of this poll we will describe the meaning of CURIOSITY as "a desire to know or learn."
The desire to know or learn is perhaps one of the most enlightening emotions. It's an emotion that verifies that you are alive and functioning as a healthy individual. We start out our lives as infants knowing virtually zero about the world we live in. As we begin our nurturing process by our parents or guardians, we WANT TO learn as much as possible about everything. We are curious beings with an insatiable desire to learn. We are not afraid to ask questions about anything and everything. And at this early stage in our lives, everyone seems to be helpful to teach us.
As young children, we are not merely satisfied with just answers to our questions. We want to know how, when and why for every short answer we receive. Because we are young and innocent, adults have more patience with us and are usually accommodating. They will take the time to explain in detail, what we ask of them.
Even though our curiosity level is still high as we approach the teen years, our questioning intensity begins to drop. We no longer seem to have the unconditional license to ask any question any time as we had as a small child. We are supposed to know certain things and are looked at funny by people if we ask too many questions. Teens are more afraid of looking stupid - so they ask fewer questions and perhaps seek answers from sources that are not so reliable.
Onward through to maturity, we tend to ask fewer questions for fear of embarrassment. We want people to think we know things even if we don't. When this happens it is quite unfortunate. Because being curious and asking questions is a great way discover, seek knowledge and learn. The best lawyers, doctors and businesspeople are those who have developed the best skills of asking and listening. It's an art that earns them the highest incomes.
In the news media, there's and entire industry full of curious people. Reporters in the field make their living by being curious. They ask, ask and ask some more. They want to want to know and learn about every detail of every breaking story 24/7.
Like every emotion, balance is king. The old saying that "curiosity killed the cat," has some merit. We can get into serious trouble being too curious about things that are "none of our business!" That's why balance reigns.
Let us know in this week's poll, your feelings on curiosity. This poll will end on Sunday 04/04/04, when the results will be displayed.
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Results:
- 29% of voters chose New Reporters as the professionals that are MOST EFFECTIVE in their jobs by being the MOST CURIOUS?
- 25% of voters chose Talk Show Hosts as the professionals that are MOST EFFECTIVE in their jobs by being the MOST CURIOUS?
- 25% of voters chose Biotech Researchers as the professionals that are MOST EFFECTIVE in their jobs by being the MOST CURIOUS?
- 10% of voters chose Marketing Researchers as the professionals that are MOST EFFECTIVE in their jobs by being the MOST CURIOUS?
- 08% of voters chose Astronomers as the professionals that are MOST EFFECTIVE in their jobs by being the MOST CURIOUS?
- 03% of voters chose Archaeologists as the professionals that are MOST EFFECTIVE in their jobs by being the MOST CURIOUS?
Post-Poll Commentary:
The top three responses in this poll were close all week long. According to our voters the three professions on our list that benefit the most by being the "MOST CURIOUS" were News Reporters, Talk Show Hosts and Biotech Researchers. The bottom three seemed less significant according to our responders, however those professionals definitely benefit from being curious - just not "the most."
News reporters too often tip the scales of balance in trying to break a story. They can be overly intrusive in peoples private lives and at times cause irresponsible harm to someone's reputation. There's so much competition to gather breaking stories to feed the 24/7 cable news shows, that ethical and moral fundamentals are often compromised.
In the case of Talk Show Hosts - viewers want the hosts to be as curious as possible. They want juicy and private questions asked of guests, so they can be first to know what's happening in their lives. Hosts like Regis and Kelly, Oprah, David Letterman and Jay Leno are paid tens of millions of dollars to be curious. Now that's what you call capitalizing on curiosity!
Our on-going advances in biotech research, astronomy and archaeology all come as a result of curious professionals who work furiously to find the next cure, constellation or artifacts of a lost civilization.
Finally, marketing researchers are just as curious as any of the above mentioned. The success or failure of a new product launch or the continued success of a name brand - depends on the curiosity and effective planning of market researchers.
The old saying of "there are no stupid questions - only stupid answers," is relevant to this topic on curiosity. Don't be afraid to be curious and ask questions. Instead hone your questioning skills and perhaps someday you'll find your way to a guest host's seat making millions from those skills.