Nurturing Curiosity. Don’t kill curiosity!

While cats may be well-advised to rein back their curiosity, for the rest of us it’s a characteristic we should embrace. Given the right environment, it is the curious who will make serendipitous discoveries, who will come up with the better solutions, who will find new opportunities – and who will be more fun to work with!

We are delighted to welcome two exceptional guest speakers to explore this subject, starting with a closer look at serendipity.

Too often reduced to a lucky break, the phenomenon of serendipity has been credited by some as being behind around a quarter of new discoveries. In its precise definition, serendipity refers to the combination of both accident and sagacity pointing to the importance of both individual and contextual factors. In other words, it is not just a lucky break but a lucky break happening to the right person. It requires individual and collective skill and expertise and also an environment and culture that invites exploration and active risk-taking.

In her talk, Dr Wendy Ross will demonstrate how a closer understanding of the phenomenon of serendipity will support organisations in developing spaces which are more prone to experience this combination of accident and sagacity. She will draw from the latest research in cognitive and organisational psychology to detail on an individual and cultural level the characteristics that provide fertile ground for both productive accidents and their exploitation.

After the break we will hear from Daphne Metland whose pioneering work encouraging curiosity and breaking down cultural biases has improved the lives of millions of women and children worldwide.

The Masterclass will last around two hours with questions and be of interest to anyone curious about the world around them. 

Coffee or tea and exceptionally fine cake will be served.

This is an in-person session so places are limited. We are keen to keep our Masterclasses free of charge. This year, we are proud to support The Priscilla Bacon Hospice Charity. If you find the masterclass useful we would encourage you to donate to support their work.

We hope you can join us!