Episode 08: Driving Curiosity in Business Leadership: How We Should Do It
How does curiosity drive the profit & loss of a business?
Why should we lead with curiosity for better business results?
I speak with Febronia Ruocco, a Global Strategic Insights Director, who has worked for a number of notable companies and brands such as Cadbury, Diageo, Heineken, McDonalds, Mars, and Heinz. Having been exposed to marketing in her early career, she discovered her fascination with how consumers behave with certain brands - and how that curiosity unlocks a deeper level of impact to actual business results.
She is incredibly passionate about empathic leadership of high performing teams and currently is also a mentor for both Women in Research and the Durham University Leadership Academy.
She describes herself as a SENSITIVE REBEL and why it can be incredibly difficult to be leading with empathy... yet still so critical to do so, especially with curiosity and respect.
Key moments:
A curiosity with marketing should revolve around the business - not just branding
Why people can mistake data points as insights and miss driving real competitive advantage
Innovation is the imagination of possibilities - but companies can be limited by their thinking around what they current are working with
Her passion for empathetic leadership - "There is a difference between managing and leading"
Why curiosity and empathy in leadership seems like “soft skills” - but so essential to drive real business results in a team
Why we shouldn't be afraid to ask if the company values support empathetic leadership
Mentorship is about inciting curiosity in your mentees
How she is a “Sensitive Rebel” - and the power of listening well
Find out more about Febronia Rocco on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/febroniaruocco/