May 14 | How to be curious with Dr Susan Chen

Questioning is vital to collaboration, connection, problem-solving and innovation so it’s not surprising that curiosity is part of the culture of many organisations.

But what does this all mean for you as an individual?
 
An innate human trait, we are born curious but, as we grow, we can shift from
curious to knowing and we become fearful of stepping outside of our comfort
zones and taking risks. We stop practicing curiosity and lose a critical skill for learning and adapting in our modern, constantly changing, world.
 
Making a conscious effort to put curiosity back into your day has been proven to boost achievement and enjoyment. Simply put, when we are interested in what we are doing, it’s easier to be engaged and do well.
 
But how do you show curiosity, and will this come at the expense of efficiency?

• Date: 14 May 2024
• Time: 12.15pm - 1pm NZT
• Location: Zoom
• Register: Register online
  

Speaker: Dr Susan Chen - HR Director for Riot Games Asia; author; angel investor; founding partner of co:grow. 

Dr Susan Chen’s many activities all aim to make human resources a powerful force for organisational good: aside from her current role as HR director for Riot Games Asia, she has authored a book: The Death of Best Practices: Reimagining HR Through Cultivating a Growth Mindset, and founded the boutique HR transformation consultancy co:grow.
 
Having lived and worked in Taiwan, New Zealand, UK, Norway, and Indonesia, Susan is currently based in Singapore, where she leads HR offices in ten countries for Riot Games, a video game developer, publisher, and esports tournament organiser. Susan credits her success to her ability to feel comfortable with not being liked, freeing her to ask tough, powerful questions and challenge senior leaders. She encourages teams to use curiosity and grit to meet challenges, rather than just applying conventional best practice templates.

An advocate for life-long learning, Dr Susan Chen holds a PhD with a focus on knowledge management from the University of Stavanger, Norway; a master’s in International Human Resource Management from London School of Economics; a master’s in Digital Education from Massey University, and a Bachelor of Arts and a Postgraduate Diploma in Commerce specialising in Human Capital Development and Organisational Studies from the University of Auckland.

MC: Dr Deepika Jindal – University of Auckland
Professional Teaching Fellow, Management and International Business

Passionate about contributing to the field of human resource management through teaching, service, and practice, Dr Deepika Jindal has been part of the University of Auckland Business School for the past 10 years.

Focused on making a meaningful contribution towards creating the future workforce she is a firm believer that we excel in our work when we are cognitively, emotionally, and physically engaged in it.

Get career tips from University of Auckland alumni (graduates) and network with your peers on our free online mentoring tool, Alumni Connect.