Description
Innovation Begins When You Ask “Why?”
Why do we continue doing things the same way, sometimes for generations, without questioning the reason behind them? This simple story about a girl, her mother, her grandmother, and a fish offers a memorable lesson in curiosity, critical thinking, and innovation.
A girl notices that her mother always cuts off the head and tail of a fish before cooking it. Her mother learned the practice from her own mother, who learned it from the previous generation. But when the girl finally asks her great-grandmother, she discovers the original reason: the fish had to be shortened to fit a small frying pan when the family had very limited resources.
What began as a practical necessity eventually became a family tradition, even after the original circumstances had changed.
The lesson goes far beyond cooking fish.
In our families, workplaces, businesses, and institutions, we often inherit routines and rules without understanding why they were created. Some still serve a purpose. Others may be outdated solutions to problems that no longer exist.
In this reflection, Simerjeet Singh explores why curiosity is essential for meaningful change.
Three lessons to take away:
- Question established habits. “We've always done it this way” is a description of the past, not necessarily a good reason to continue.
- Understand the original problem. Before changing a process, discover what it was designed to solve and whether those circumstances still apply.
- Turn curiosity into improvement. Asking thoughtful questions can uncover unnecessary constraints, spark new ideas, and help people lead change rather than simply repeat old patterns.
Curiosity does not mean rejecting every tradition or assuming that every old practice is wrong. It means being willing to understand the reason behind a practice and decide whether it still makes sense today.
A question for you: What is one rule, routine, or workplace practice you have seen people follow simply because “that's how it's always been done”?
Share your thoughts, and pass this story on to someone who believes in asking better questions.
A #TeamSJS update approved by Simerjeet Singh.
#Curiosity #CriticalThinking #Innovation #Leadership #ChallengeTheStatusQuo #GrowthMindset #SimerjeetSingh