--- title: "Daily Buzz: Don’t Kill Curiosity" id: "44147" type: "post" slug: "daily-buzz-dont-kill-curiosity" published_at: "2018-09-19T21:56:23+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T16:01:24+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/09/19/daily-buzz-dont-kill-curiosity/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/09/19/daily-buzz-dont-kill-curiosity.md" excerpt: "A Harvard Business School professor warns that the wrong tactics could harm employees’ ability to come up with new and creative ideas. Also: Make sure your influencer marketing strategy makes sense." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Influencers" - "Leadership" - "Marketing" - "rebranding" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "C-Level" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Daily Buzz: Don’t Kill Curiosity Leaders sometimes send mixed messages about curiosity. They may say one thing but lead their employees in another direction, says Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino. “Although leaders might say they treasure inquisitive minds, in fact most stifle curiosity, fearing it will increase risk and inefficiency,” Gino writes in [a recent Harvard Business Review article (opens in a new tab)](https://hbr.org/2018/09/curiosity) . [In an interview with Inc. (opens in a new tab)](https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/how-to-not-be-a-curiosity-killing-boss-according-to-a-harvard-biz-school-professor.html) , she offered two specific tips for smaller businesses and organizations that want to make sure curiosity flourishes: one, ask a large number of thoughtful questions; and two, take steps to help employees broaden their horizons. This combination helps to move a team beyond repetition. “In small business it is even more important for the leader to model curiosity for others,” Gino said. ### Better Influencer Marketing > 8 Tips to Better [#InfluencerMarketing (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/InfluencerMarketing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > Programs by [@domnicastro (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/DomNicastro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [https://t.co/gj3UhbStU3 (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/gj3UhbStU3) > > — CMSWire.com (@cmswire) [September 19, 2018 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/cmswire/status/1042416304257302533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Influencer marketing is rife with headaches and ethical challenges,** but if you can navigate those, something valuable often emerges. Over at *CMS Wire*, [contributor Dom Nicastro has a series of tips (opens in a new tab)](https://www.cmswire.com/digital-marketing/8-tips-to-better-influencer-marketing-programs/) for improving your influencer marketing program, including to cultivate authenticity and to ensure that you’re hitting the right target. It’s not as easy as finding someone you like and just getting them on board. You need to make sure that their influence is directed at achieving your larger goals. ### Other Links of Note **“The innovators in your membership** are the ones who will eventually change the profession or industry.” At *Smooth the Path*, [Amanda Kaiser discusses (opens in a new tab)](http://www.smooththepath.net/2018/09/18/move-your-association-from-community-resource-to-community-leader/) how embracing innovative members can help put your association in a leadership position. **When should you let go of your lapsed members?** In a new podcast, The Moery Company’s JP Moery [discusses why (opens in a new tab)](https://moerycompany.com/episode156/) maintaining lapsed members for too long is problematic for associations. **Big social media growth is great,** but don’t rest on your laurels. At *Forbes*, Stryde VP of Marketing T.J. Welsh [says you can turn that success (opens in a new tab)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2018/09/19/three-ways-to-diversify-your-marketing-strategy-after-explosive-social-media-growth/) into longer-term organic growth. (DNY59/E+/Getty Images Plus) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Influencers](https://associationsnow.com/tag/influencers/) [#Leadership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/leadership/) [#Marketing](https://associationsnow.com/tag/marketing/) [#rebranding](https://associationsnow.com/tag/rebranding/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoRecap from the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 19, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/19/recap-from-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoSneak Peek: Highlights from Day 2 of the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 14, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/14/sneak-peek-highlights-from-day-2-of-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoDaily Recap: Day 1 from the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 13, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/13/daily-recap-day-1-from-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoSneak Peek: Highlights from Day 1 of the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 13, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/13/sneak-peek-highlights-from-day-1-of-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2018%2F09%2F19%2Fdaily-buzz-dont-kill-curiosity%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !