We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Debra Clary. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Debra below.
Debra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
he idea for The Curiosity Curve started as a joke, a question, and a puzzle.
The joke happened on a train from Rome to Florence.
A handsome Italian man turned to me and asked, “Are you American?”
When I said yes, he smiled and said, “Then I know what happens next. I ask you one question, and you give me… the whole story.”
He was right, of course. We Americans don’t just answer questions—we explain, justify, and narrate. But that moment made me laugh and think: Why do we talk so much—and listen so little?
The question came from a CEO who asked me, “Is curiosity innate, or can it be learned?”
That question stayed with me for months. I realized we celebrate innovation and creativity, yet rarely talk about the engine behind both—curiosity.
And the puzzle came from years of hearing employees say, “I don’t feel seen. I don’t feel engaged.”
It wasn’t because their leaders lacked intelligence or strategy. It was because they’d stopped being curious about their people.
That’s when it all came together.
The joke, the question, and the puzzle revealed one truth:
Curiosity isn’t just a trait—it’s a muscle. And when leaders learn to use it, everything changes.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
About Dr. Debra Clary & The Curiosity Curve®
Dr. Debra Clary is a leadership strategist, executive coach, playwright, and performer who believes curiosity is the most underdeveloped leadership skill of our time. After a distinguished career leading strategy, marketing, and organizational development for global brands such as Frito-Lay, Coca-Cola, Jack Daniel’s, and Humana, she began to notice a pattern: disengaged teams weren’t struggling because of a lack of talent—they were struggling because curiosity had gone missing.
That realization led to The Curiosity Curve®, a research-based framework that helps leaders and organizations measure, strengthen, and sustain curiosity as a competitive advantage. Her groundbreaking book, The Curiosity Curve: A Leader’s Guide to Growth and Transformation Through Bold Questions (Fast Company Press, October 2025), explores how curiosity drives engagement, innovation, and performance.
Through her company, The Clary Group, Debra works with executives and teams around the world to unlock their curiosity and create cultures of connection and possibility. Beyond the boardroom, she brings her storytelling gifts to the stage as the playwright and performer of A Curious Woman, her acclaimed off-Broadway show that celebrates the transformative power of curiosity.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When I made the bold decision to leave corporate America, I stepped away from the familiar world of boardrooms, budgets, and brand strategy into something completely uncertain. I had spent years leading at companies like Frito-Lay, Coca-Cola, Jack Daniel’s, and Humana—but I felt called to explore a deeper question: What’s possible when curiosity leads?
That leap wasn’t easy. There was no roadmap, no guaranteed next step—just faith, curiosity, and a determination to keep learning. Through that journey, I created The Curiosity Curve®, a research-based framework that became the foundation of my company, The Clary Group, and my book with Fast Company Press. I even wrote and performed an off-Broadway play—A Curious Woman—something I never imagined doing in my corporate days.
Resilience, I’ve learned, isn’t just about endurance. It’s about transformation—the courage to reimagine who you are and what you can become.
Have you ever had to pivot?
When I first launched my company, I focused on traditional leadership development—helping teams communicate better, align strategy, and build trust. But after working with several organizations, I realized something deeper was missing. The real issue wasn’t strategy or skill—it was curiosity.
Leaders weren’t asking enough questions. Teams weren’t exploring enough possibilities. Innovation was being replaced by execution.
That insight led to a complete pivot. I shifted my business model, redesigned my workshops, and built a research partnership to understand how curiosity drives engagement and performance. That work became The Curiosity Curve®—a framework that helps leaders measure and strengthen curiosity as a competitive advantage.
It was a big risk to narrow my focus, but it changed everything. Today, that pivot has grown into keynotes, global workshops, and a book with Fast Company Press. It taught me that sometimes the smartest move in business isn’t to scale—it’s to refocus on what truly matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.debraclary.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debra.clarygmelin/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdebraclary/
- Youtube: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCOPFyttCI1YrgioWw3rS9hg/videos/upload?filter=%5B%5D&sort=%7B%22columnType%22%3A%22date%22%2C%22sortOrder%22%3A%22DESCENDING%22%7D
Image Credits
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