PD After Hours: Curiosity Killed the Cat but not the Culture

We tend to file curiosity under "nice to have" — a personality quirk some people are simply born with, and the old proverb even warns us it's dangerous. But a growing body of research tells a different story: curiosity is the meta-competency, the single capacity that switches on every other skill we prize, from listening and collaboration to problem-solving and leadership. It's now being named a core capability for the future of work, and for good reason. The questions we ask determine what we're able to see, and what we habitually see, over time, becomes who we are — and what our teams and organizations become, too. This session makes the case that curiosity isn't a trait you either have or don't; it's a muscle you can build, and the earlier in a career you start, the more it compounds. You'll leave understanding why the quality of your questions quietly shapes the quality of your work, your relationships, and your culture — and with one practice you can use the same day.

This won't be a lecture you sit through. It's built to be experienced. From the first minute, you'll be doing the work rather than watching it — turning to the people around you, testing your own habits of attention in real time, and feeling firsthand how a small shift in the questions you ask changes what you're able to see. Roughly half our time together is hands-on: short paired exercises, a live demonstration you'll run yourselves, and a closing practice you'll carry out of the room. Come ready to participate, to be a little surprised by what you notice, and to leave with something you can actually use.

Advanced registration is highly encouraged. Free for PYP members; tickets available for non-members.

Meet the Presenter:

Wanda Taylor is a Master Certified Coach with four decades of experience partnering with accomplished professionals and leaders committed to their own growth. She holds the Master Certified Coach (MCC) designation from the International Coaching Federation — the profession's highest credential — and is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) with advanced training from Duke University Health, with additional certifications across executive, corporate, life, and wellness coaching.

In 2004 she founded Bay Centre Coaching Group LLC, a multidisciplinary practice in Pensacola, Florida, following a distinguished thirty-year career leading a school psychology and mental health practice. Wanda's work helps high-performing people align outward success with inner clarity — so they lead, decide, and live from their fullest, most authentic selves. Her book, Breadcrumbs: Finding Your Way Home, offers that work as a self-coaching framework for anyone ready to grow into who they are capable of becoming.

What to Expect:

At PYP's Professional Development seminars, attendees can expect to find a group of people who are eager to learn and connect with like-minded professionals. Expert speakers are gracious enough to share their experiences with us so we can go out into the community and take on anything life throws our way.