38. Julie Pham on Mastering Curiosity as a Practice

“Curiosity isn’t a trait — it’s a practice. And like any practice, we have to keep doing it even when it’s hard.” — Dr. Julie Pham In this episode of Humanism Now, we explore curiosity as a practice. Dr. Julie Pham — social scientist, community builder, and author of the bestselling 7 Forms of Respect® — joins us to unpack how curiosity, respect, and communication transform not just workplaces, but our relationships and communities. As the founder and CEO of CuriosityBased, Dr. Pham teaches leaders and teams how to embed curiosity into daily practice — through self-awareness, relationship-building, and clear communication. Drawing from her personal story and professional insight, Julie shares how our assumptions about listening, respect, and disagreement shape the way we connect and collaborate. In this episode: Why curiosity is a skill, not a trait — and how to develop it How to approach difficult conversations using the CAFA method (Context, Action, Feeling, Ask) The difference between hearing and believing — and why it matters Respect is relative: how upbringing and culture shape our communication How curiosity bridges differences — even across generational, cultural, and political divides When not to have the conversation: the two questions to ask before engaging Featured Resources: 📕 7 Forms of Respect: www.formsofrespect.com 🧠 CuriosityBased: www.curiositybased.com 🎥 TEDx TalkCuriosity as a Practice: Watch here 🎧 Curiosity at Work podcast: Listen here Follow Dr. Julie Pham: 📸 @juliephamphd on Instagram 🎵 @juliephamphd on TikTok 📸 @curiositybased on Instagram 💼 @curiositybased on TikTok 📘 CuriosityBased Facebook Send us Fan Mail Support the show Support Humanism Now & Join Our Community! Follow @HumanismNowPod | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Threads | X.com | BlueSky Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live a podcast production agency based in London, serving charities, companies, and individuals across the globe. Contact us to get starting in podcasting today at humanise.live or [email protected]: Blossom by Light Prism Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices