Curiosity, Not Code: The Human Fundamentals That Drive Growth

As AI pushes industries to move faster than ever, sustainable business growth still belongs to teams that master the basics. 

On The ChangeOver Podcast, I spoke with seasoned strategist Kurt Hahlbeck about the surge of interest in AI as a path to growth. His challenge to business leaders was simple: Before you scale, are you sure your fundamentals can carry the weight?

“What’s paramount above all else is you have to know how to position and pitch your value and understand where you fit versus your competitors, what that value is, and how to speak to it in a way that makes sense to the audience.”

Here’s why that matters for industrial marketers and salespeople: a crystal-clear value pitch slices through complex buying cycles and shields margin when price wars erupt. So now is the time to double down on your organization’s core values — while still moving forward. 

The key is to communicate value while maintaining humility, empathy, and curiosity — traits only demonstrated by humans, not AI. Curiosity, not code, is the greatest performance enhancer — and it isn’t something competitors can copy-paste.

Read on for more highlights from the episode, or better yet, watch the full conversation: 

Check out episode 22 of The ChangeOver now, then subscribe on Apple, YouTube, Spotify, Weidert.com, or your favorite podcast app.

Why Better Learning Beats Faster Tools

AI is changing how businesses operate, and quickly. But as Kurt points out, the disruption isn’t always obvious at first. Quoting Hemingway’s take on bankruptcy — that it happens “gradually, then suddenly” — Kurt notes that AI adoption follows a similar curve. Experimenting with tools may feel incremental, but once automation scales, change hits hard. And that’s where the biggest opportunities — and risks — emerge.

For instance, without a solid data foundation, increased speed only magnifies existing problems. While tools like ChatGPT, NotebookLM, and others offer new ways to gather customer insights, organizations must be careful not to confuse efficiency with effectiveness. Bad data and unchecked assumptions can sabotage the best technology.

"If you automate a mess, you get a faster mess… If you want better outcomes, you’ve got to ask better questions."  — Kurt Hahlbeck

Differentiation Through Humanity and Curiosity

As everyone gains access to the same AI-powered analytics and generative capabilities, what AI tools can’t level is the quality of the questions you ask.

If you’re tempted to believe AI makes mastery of fundamentals obsolete, think again. In reality, it underscores their importance. The sharper your questions, the better the insights — creating a competitive edge over those who settle for surface-level outputs.

Curiosity is as much about unlearning as it is about learning. Encouraging teams to challenge long-held assumptions fosters a culture of thoughtful questioning — one that helps break free from the “known knowns” and uncover new paths to growth.

“With AI, what’s changing is the pace. The fundamentals are still the fundamentals. We’ve always had to learn, but the pace at which we learn is picking up, because if we’re not trying to learn faster and better, we risk being left behind.”

Continuing the theme of human differentiation, Kurt pushed back on the idea that technology should replace people. Instead, he argued, AI should be used to augment human capabilities — especially in industries like manufacturing, where trust and relationships are essential. AI doesn’t have inherent core values, ethical stances, or the emotional experiences that drive these human qualities — the shared world view that makes for strong strategic partnerships.

This mindset shift applies well beyond manufacturing. Rather than asking if AI can do a job, leaders should focus on why a human is in the role — and how to amplify their unique strengths.

Growth: Strategy Beats Speed

Throughout the episode, one theme stands out: growth isn’t just about going faster, it’s about making smarter strategic choices.

Whether navigating shifting supply chains, demographic changes, or industry disruption, the fundamentals of strategy remain:

• Where do we play?
• How do we win?
• What must we be great at?

To some, AI feels like a threat. To others, it's a growth catalyst. History shows that disruption often paves the way for opportunity — just look at the industrial revolution or the mechanization of agriculture. 

Farmers who clung to horse-drawn plows couldn’t compete with diesel-powered rivals. But even those who embraced the shift had to learn to operate their new tools — and understand their limits — to succeed. The same is true today: AI is the new diesel, and it still needs a skilled driver.

“There’s a lot of anxiety and anxiousness around AI, and I think people are correct to be focused on understanding how they can leverage it, how it can impact them. But at the same time, AI is not a strategy. AI is a tool."

First Think Deeply, Then Act Quickly

It’s a reminder that in moments of upheaval, those who stay grounded in the fundamentals and remain fueled by curiosity are best positioned to grow. A few smart steps industrial marketers should take to bulletproof the fundamentals before hitting the AI accelerator:

1. Audit, optimize, and unify your data — eliminate the “faster mess” risk
2. Sharpen your value pitch, and test it with real prospects
3. Cultivate curiosity and reward teams for challenging assumptions and asking smarter questions

Ready to listen in full? Catch this episode of The ChangeOver Podcast with Kurt Hahlbeck and subscribe for the latest marketing strategies and insights.