Entrepreneur and former ad exec Michael Tennant founded Curiosity Lab to “spread curiosity, inclusivity, and empathy through storytelling experiences.” One way to do that is with his “Actually Curious” playing cards, his attempt to gamify empathy and community.

I think he’s on to something…

I usually come to conflict with the perspective that I want to resolve it,… I want to come to some place of harmony. And as such, I always found myself a little bit more willing to be present, or to listen to with curiosity, to the other person’s argument, even if I disagreed, because at the end of the day, my goal wasn’t necessarily to win.
So that really was the insight that went into the original “Actually Curious” game: some people are just more willing to say, ‘Hey, maybe I might be wrong.’

Listen to Choose to be Curious #169: Michael Tennant is Actually Empathic.

Find out more about Curiosity Lab and Actually Curious.

Want to know more about Michael Tennant? Check out how he spends his Sundays or Ebony Magazine’s “Editor’s Pick” for his card game. He’s gotten some great visibility for building empathy!

Here’s a gentle reminder to be empathic with yourself. And if you want to hear more conversations about empathy, I invite you to listen to former fellow WERA producer and disability advocate Brandon Charles, the early-COVID sounds of caring with Yoko Sen & Tammy Beaulieu, or the lovely and disarming death doula Valoria Walker.

Theme music by Sean Balick. “Up, Up, Up and Over” by The Balloonist via Blue Dot Sessions.

I am honored that Choose to be Curious was selected as the 2021 Best Informational Talk Show in Community Radio by the Alliance for Community Media’s annual Hometown Media Awards. Please check out other winners and support community media!

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Photo used with permission from Actually Curious / Curiosity Lab.