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The Curiosity Muscle: How Four Simple Questions Can Uncover Powerful Insights and Exponential Growth
Toys ‘R’ Us. Kodak. Blockbuster. Why is it that some companies evolve while others get left in the dust? How do they lose their relevance with customers? The scary truth is that the only thing harder than getting to the top is staying there. It may sound counterintuitive, but in many cases, it is the success of a company that eventually leads to its downfall.
So what does it take to stay competitive and relevant when what customers went wild for yesterday is the boring, banal, bare minimum they’ll accept today?
Through the story of the rise and plateau of a gym franchise recounted as a novel, The Curiosity Muscle shows exactly why most companies reaching the peak of their potential lose their curiosity and crash into irrelevance. From how we develop blind spots about our business to the pitfalls of feeling like an expert, this thought-provoking, engaging tale reveals the smokescreens obscuring imminent threats to long-term viability and walks you through specific ways to boost innovation, uncover customer needs, solve problems, create new value for customers, and increase employee engagement.
Most importantly, The Curiosity Muscle demonstrates why curiosity is your greatest asset, driving constant innovation and improvement and helps you ask the essential questions that will take your business from stagnant to soaring. By continuing to work your curiously muscle over time, you can help your company thrive and become competitive on more than price alone—ultimately, future-proofing your business.
So what does it take to stay competitive and relevant when what customers went wild for yesterday is the boring, banal, bare minimum they’ll accept today?
Through the story of the rise and plateau of a gym franchise recounted as a novel, The Curiosity Muscle shows exactly why most companies reaching the peak of their potential lose their curiosity and crash into irrelevance. From how we develop blind spots about our business to the pitfalls of feeling like an expert, this thought-provoking, engaging tale reveals the smokescreens obscuring imminent threats to long-term viability and walks you through specific ways to boost innovation, uncover customer needs, solve problems, create new value for customers, and increase employee engagement.
Most importantly, The Curiosity Muscle demonstrates why curiosity is your greatest asset, driving constant innovation and improvement and helps you ask the essential questions that will take your business from stagnant to soaring. By continuing to work your curiously muscle over time, you can help your company thrive and become competitive on more than price alone—ultimately, future-proofing your business.
179 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 24, 2018
11 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 6, 2020
This is a fun allegory about staying curious and avoiding the trap of becoming an "expert" that's not open to learning new things.
It's a good story that is compelling enough to get you through the entire book but feels like it could be learned in an executive summary as well.
If you're in sales, management, marketing, or any type of customer-facing position, it's worth looking into.
It's a good story that is compelling enough to get you through the entire book but feels like it could be learned in an executive summary as well.
If you're in sales, management, marketing, or any type of customer-facing position, it's worth looking into.
July 31, 2018
When a front line employee tells you, “It is corporate policy”, they mean, “We think it is stupid, too”.
The book The Curiosity Muscle by Andy Fromm and Diana Kander presents an excellent case regarding listening to your customers and your employees before corporate issues a new policy.
This book is interesting and engaging up until page 159, where the former owner of the company makes a statement that stops the flow of the entire book in its tracks. This statement really isn’t within the context of the rest of the book. It never really gets back on the rails after that.
This was sort of like when a high school class has that one shining example of a teacher who is respected by all. Then, for no apparent reason, completely out of context, they utter one foul word. You never hear them utter another word of profanity but, the whole tone of the class is changed forever more.
Overall, the lesson taught by The Curiosity Muscle is very important and spot on. We see what is happening at both Amazon and Walmart. It explains why both are struggling and losing ground, but continue to make a profit. Both have lost sight of their customers.
If you are in leadership or management you may wish to add this tool to your toolbox.
We were sent a complimentary advance reading copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.
We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
The book The Curiosity Muscle by Andy Fromm and Diana Kander presents an excellent case regarding listening to your customers and your employees before corporate issues a new policy.
This book is interesting and engaging up until page 159, where the former owner of the company makes a statement that stops the flow of the entire book in its tracks. This statement really isn’t within the context of the rest of the book. It never really gets back on the rails after that.
This was sort of like when a high school class has that one shining example of a teacher who is respected by all. Then, for no apparent reason, completely out of context, they utter one foul word. You never hear them utter another word of profanity but, the whole tone of the class is changed forever more.
Overall, the lesson taught by The Curiosity Muscle is very important and spot on. We see what is happening at both Amazon and Walmart. It explains why both are struggling and losing ground, but continue to make a profit. Both have lost sight of their customers.
If you are in leadership or management you may wish to add this tool to your toolbox.
We were sent a complimentary advance reading copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.
We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
January 1, 2024
This was presented as a fictional story, which made it a very quick read. However, I could have done without the romantic element, which seemed weird and out of place. I almost docked the rating because of that, but ultimately the information presented was so valuable that I couldn’t justify rating this any less than five stars.
April 23, 2025
The Curiosity Muscle laws a quick read with great information and insight told through a powerful story that was relatable. The four questions shared in this book are applicable in any industry or business model.
January 25, 2020
A modern business parable on the importance of beginner's mind.
March 9, 2020
I enjoy any work of Diana Kander's! This was super interesting and a good book to read after All in the Startup.
December 23, 2022
Normally I find business books boring and difficult to read. This one was a well written allegory that was both a quick read and easy to understand.
December 31, 2023
Huge credit goes to the authors for making this business book a story and keeping me engaged. I will definitely do my best to apply the lessons learned here.
June 1, 2024
A little odd approach, but it did get the points across well.
March 20, 2020
Appreciate the fiction approach as an interesting way to deliver these points but was unnecessary/odd to have a love story intertwined.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews