Habits of a Strong Leader

Curiosity is what fuels growth—but more importantly, it’s what helps us serve our industry better. It’s how we find new ways to deliver more value to our customers and support our teams more effectively. Whether it’s rethinking how we staff a site, improving processes, or trying to understand what really matters to a client, it all starts with asking better questions. When we stay curious, we lead better. We serve better. 

The best leaders I know don’t settle for “working fine.” They stay engaged. They observe, listen, walk buildings, and keep asking: What can we do to create more value for our customers? What’s getting in the way of our team doing their best work? 

But here’s the challenge: even when we say we want curiosity, it’s easy to unintentionally shut it down. Leaders sometimes avoid questions that feel disruptive. We prioritize speed over exploration. We stick to what's known instead of pushing into what's possible. But in a service business, curiosity isn’t a distraction—it’s what keeps us improving. 

In her Harvard Business Review article, “The Business Case for Curiosity,” Francesca Gino outlines several practical ways organizations can build a culture where curiosity thrives. These include hiring people who ask good questions, modeling curiosity as leaders, and giving teams space to explore—even if ideas don’t lead to immediate results. In our world, that might mean testing a new process at one site or listening when a customer offers feedback that challenges our assumptions. 

So, how do you put curiosity into action?  You don’t need a big initiative—just consistent habits: 

Ask
Ask your team questions such as: What’s slowing you down? What’s one thing you wish we’d fix? 

Sit 
Sit down with a customer and ask them, what’s one thing we could do better for you? 

Walk 
Walk a site with fresh eyes. Listen to the team without jumping in to defend or explain. 

Seek 
Seek input from both inside and outside the BSC industry. 

Focus 
Focus on making time for curiosity. Block off an hour a week to think, walk, and ask better questions—not as a luxury, but as a leadership habit. 

Curiosity isn’t a side project, it’s a mindset. In our line of work, being curious is one of the most effective ways to serve better, grow stronger, and stay ahead. 

Jeff Carmon, CBSE, is the Business Development Director at Frantz Building Services. He is also a consultant, content creator, and speaker for Elite BSC, which provides resources and education for like-minded BSCs.