What if some of the most valuable leadership lessons weren’t found in executive programs or strategic frameworks—but in the way a kindergartener explores the world?

A colleague recently shared a story: When asked what they would change about themselves, adults focused on physical traits—height, weight, appearance. But young children gave very different answers. They said things like “wings” or “the ability to fly.”

That difference in mindset matters. It points to something we often lose as we grow: a willingness to imagine beyond the constraints we’ve internalized. It’s a reminder that part of leadership isn’t just about building expertise—it’s about unlearning the mental limits we place on ourselves and our teams.

Research shows that children often outperform adults—including professionals and MBAs—when it comes to creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. This isn’t just an interesting contrast. It has real implications for how we lead.

Below are three well-known studies that reveal how children approach challenges—and how leaders can benefit by adopting a similar mindset of curiosity, experimentation, and openness.

1. The Marshmallow Challenge (2010): Why Simplicity and Safety Spark Innovation

Study by Tom Wujec & Peter Skillman, 2010

What it is:

Teams are asked to build the tallest possible structure using spaghetti, tape, string, and one marshmallow (which must sit on top). Participants range from kindergartners to CEOs.

What happens:

Kindergartners consistently outperform business school students and executives. The reason? Kids don’t spend time trying to manage power dynamics or plan the “perfect” strategy. They test early, iterate often, and collaborate naturally.

“The teams that tend to do best are those that approach the challenge with a mindset of experimentation, not perfection.” – Tom Wujec

What this teaches leaders:

Many teams stall because they over-invest in upfront planning and hold back ideas until they’re fully formed. In contrast, high-performing teams work iteratively, learn from early feedback, and communicate openly—just like the kindergartners in this study.

Leadership takeaway: Create a culture where psychological safety supports early experimentation. Don’t wait until an idea is polished—test early, learn fast, and reduce the fear of getting it wrong.

2. NASA Creativity Test (1968): How Experience Can Narrow Our Thinking

Study by George Land & Beth Jarman, 1968

What it is:

A divergent thinking test originally developed to assess creativity in NASA scientists was later administered to children across age groups.

What happens:

At age 5: 98% score at the "genius" level
At age 10: 30%
At age 15: 12%
Adults (25+): just 2%

Over time, our natural creativity is trained out of us—often replaced by habits of conformity and risk avoidance.

“We’re not growing into creativity—we’re growing out of it.” – George Land

What this teaches leaders:

Experience can become a double-edged sword. While it builds expertise, it can also limit openness to new ideas. Leaders must intentionally counteract this by creating environments where curiosity is valued over certainty.

Leadership takeaway: Ask: When was the last time your team challenged a process or reimagined how something could be done? Consider building “curiosity sprints” into your workflow—dedicated time for exploring new ideas without the pressure of performance.

3. Children as Explorers (2007–2011): Why Learning Should Come Before Optimization

Study by Laura Schulz & Elizabeth Bonawitz, MIT, 2007–2011

What it is:

Preschoolers were given toys with multiple hidden functions. Some were shown how to use one feature by an adult, while others explored freely.

What happens:

Kids who were shown a single function stopped exploring. Those who weren’t given any instruction discovered significantly more features.

Adults, by contrast, often settle quickly on what “works” and stop looking further.

“Children engage in more open-ended exploration. Adults often move too quickly toward closure.” – Laura Schulz, MIT

What this teaches leaders:

In uncertain environments, adults tend to prioritize efficiency over discovery. But in complex or fast-changing settings, being too quick to settle can mean missing out on better solutions.

Leadership takeaway: Encourage a culture of learning before optimizing. Instead of asking “How can we make this work faster?” ask “What else might be possible?” This mindset is especially valuable in times of ambiguity, transformation, or growth.

Reflect: How Much Room Do You Give Yourself to Think Like a Child?

Ask yourself:

☐ Do I make space for trial-and-error, or do I push for certainty too quickly?

☐ Do I reward efficiency more than I reward exploration?

☐ Do I give my team the psychological safety to experiment without fear of failure?

Final Thought: Curiosity Is a Leadership Advantage

Leadership today demands more than expertise—it requires the courage to remain curious.

In a world shaped by complexity, disruption, and constant change, the leaders who thrive are the ones who pause to ask, who are willing to explore before optimizing, and who can reimagine the path forward—without needing to have all the answers.

Sometimes the most powerful leadership shift isn’t about adding more—more skills, more structure, more tools. It’s about returning to a mindset we had long before we learned to doubt ourselves.

“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” — Maya Angelou

How do we get back there?

Science offers a few starting points. One technique, known as Alternative Uses Testing—a classic divergent thinking exercise—asks participants to name as many uses as possible for a common object (e.g., a paperclip or a brick). When done in a low-pressure setting, it helps re-engage flexible, imaginative thinking in adults and encourages novel idea generation.

Other approaches like design thinking, improv-based leadership games, and scenario play have been shown to reactivate curiosity, reduce fear of failure, and improve creative confidence.

Because in today’s world, curiosity isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a leadership imperative.

So let’s reintroduce curiosity. Let’s relearn how to explore. And let’s lead with the kind of possibility kindergarteners never unlearned in the first place.