Why SME leaders need curiosity as much as strategy

Digital change doesn't end at rollout. For many small business leaders, the first phase of digital transformation feels clear: identify needs, choose tools, train the team, and get the systems live. There’s momentum in those early months. A sense of progress. Something to point to and say, “That’s working.”

Then, the pace starts to settle.

The tools are doing their job. The team’s finding their rhythm. Things feel more structured. It’s steady, but quieter than expected. That shift is a signal that the next phase needs something different from you as an adaptive leader.

Let’s look at why every digital transformation leader needs curiosity (just as much as strategy) to move from stable systems to smarter progress.

How curiosity builds on strategy

Strategy sets the course. It helps you act with confidence, knowing that the tools you’ve chosen are aligned with what the business needs.

But even the strongest strategy is based on what you knew at the time. That’s what makes curiosity such a valuable leadership skill. It lets you notice early signs of inefficiency, uncover patterns you didn’t plan for, and spot improvements that strategy alone can’t predict. It might be a feature used in creative ways, a tool that fills a hidden gap, or a small tweak that clears friction.

We’ve seen this firsthand. One healthcare provider we worked with had just completed a strong systems rollout. But their leadership didn’t stop there. They stayed curious and looked for the next area to strengthen.

That led to a second collaboration with Adapt, building a fully NHS-integrated referral system that saved them over a million pounds annually.

That kind of outcome doesn’t come from simply following a roadmap. It came from staying alert as a digital transformation leader and being open to what’s next.

Now, let’s look at how to make that mindset part of how you lead, so curiosity becomes less of a trait and more of a habit.

Turning curiosity into a leadership habit

Digital transformation leaders who stay adaptive are often the ones who ask better questions, pay closer attention to patterns, and leave space for possibility. That kind of mindset doesn’t require dramatic change. It shows up in how you approach everyday decisions, conversations, and opportunities.

Here’s how to make that kind of curiosity a consistent part of how you lead:

1. Look beyond your current workflow

One of the most useful skills a small business leader can build is adaptive leadership. That means noticing new tools, watching how others are applying them, and paying attention to shifts in your industry or customer behaviour.

You don’t have to jump on every change. But keeping track of emerging trends, features, or unexpected use cases helps you stay ready for what might come next. It also makes it easier to connect those changes to what your team is already doing.

For digital transformation leaders, this habit turns awareness into an advantage. You’re more likely to catch early signals, avoid missed opportunities, and act before something becomes urgent.

2. Ask better questions, not just faster ones

A great leadership skill is knowing what to ask. In moments of friction or uncertainty, try to step back and ask open-ended questions like:

• What new options have we seen recently that could help in this area?

• What tools or features do you think we haven’t explored fully?

• What’s something you’ve seen work elsewhere that we could try?

Questions like these open the door to deeper insights and help your team think in possibilities, not just deliverables.

3. Make space for low-stakes testing

Digital transformation doesn’t always require a large-scale investment to move forward. Some of the most valuable improvements come from low-stakes, curiosity-driven trials. These might be team members testing new automation features, exploring an overlooked part of a tool, or mapping out a more efficient process.

Encourage this kind of small, thoughtful trialling. Let the team know that trying something new (even if it doesn’t stick) is part of how your business stays sharp and flexible.

4. Talk openly about new ideas

As a digital transformation leader, your behaviour sets the tone. If you bring curiosity into your conversations, others are more likely to follow.

That might sound like, “Has anyone seen this tool in action? I wonder if it could help us here,” or a quick note linking to a new AI feature you’ve been thinking about. It lowers the stakes and eases the anxiety that often comes with trying new tools or approaches.

This kind of open dialogue makes experimentation feel like part of the process, not a risk. And over time, it encourages your team to speak up sooner, test more freely, and engage more confidently with change.

Curiosity shapes more than decisions. It sets a tone. When leaders ask better questions and stay open to new tools, trends, and ideas, the effect spreads. Over time, that shift supports not just better systems, but a more adaptive and engaged business.

What happens when digital transformation leaders lead with curiosity

When you lead with curiosity, you don’t just improve your systems. You influence how people think, collaborate, and solve problems.

The most effective digital transformation leaders create this ripple effect by staying open to what’s changing and encouraging their teams to do the same.

Teams pay closer attention

When curiosity is part of your culture, your team starts noticing things they used to overlook. They ask different questions. They suggest changes before they’re told to. Over time, this awareness turns into action, whether it’s simplifying a process, testing a feature, or flagging a better approach.

It’s not just about innovation and creativity. It’s about building a team that learns in real time and responds before things go off track.

Feedback becomes more useful

Open-minded leadership helps teams feel safe offering feedback, even when it’s informal or early-stage. This creates more accurate input, more honest insights, and more useful improvements.

You’re not waiting for a problem to escalate. You’re building habits that surface small signals early enough to act on them.

Progress continues between the big milestones

Digital change doesn’t only happen in rollout cycles. With the right mindset, it happens in the small moments, too.

A curious team makes ongoing improvements part of how they work, not something they wait to be told to do. That kind of momentum supports growth without requiring constant reinvention.

Curiosity keeps you future-ready

Even in a cautious climate, many UK SMEs are already trialling new AI tools and exploring smarter ways to grow. That openness to learning is what helps small teams move confidently through uncertainty.

Curiosity supports that by helping you:

• Notice emerging tech that could strengthen how your team works.

• Explore how others are solving similar challenges.

• Try small changes before making major investments.

• Keep conversations focused on purpose, not just process.

As a digital transformation leader, your ability to balance strategic direction with ongoing curiosity becomes a long-term advantage. You’re less likely to drift, stall, or get stuck with systems that no longer fit. You stay grounded in what matters, but open to how that might evolve.

Not every idea will lead to a breakthrough. But the more you stay curious, the more likely you are to find the next one that does.

Still in the “what now?” phase of your digital transformation?

At Adapt, we help small teams keep momentum going with sharp questions, practical guidance, and the kind of insight that clarifies your next move.

Let’s take a fresh look at your system.