A father and his young son were out walking one afternoon, when the boy asked how the electricity went through the wires stretched between the telephone poles.

"I don't know," said the father. "I never knew much about electricity."

A few blocks later the boy asked what caused lightning and thunder.

"To tell you the truth," said the father, "I never exactly understood that myself."

The boy continued to ask questions through the walk, none of which the father could explain. Finally, as they were nearing home, the boy said, "Dad, I hope you don't mind me asking you so many questions."

"Of course not," replied the father. "How else are you going to learn?"

Sooner or later, of course, the boy will stop asking his father questions, and that will be unfortunate. Curiosity and the desire to learn should always be encouraged and nurtured.

It's quite possible that the son's curiosity piqued the father's interest in learning something new. Google might be a good place to start. It is never enough to be satisfied with "I don't know."

Just as parents should encourage their children to remain curious and respect learning, the same is true for managers and supervisors. They must set an example for their employees. If they have stopped learning and growing, they will be hard pressed to inspire their subordinates to do so, no matter how much they may pretend to encourage it.

New products, new solutions and new methods are often the brainchildren of curiosity. Is necessity really the mother of invention? Or is it curiosity?

We should really strive to learn something new every day. There's certainly no lack of opportunity. Be curious about everything around you. Read a book on a topic you've never studied. Listen to a TEDtalk. Take a nature walk with a child. Do something that you've never done before, just for the experience. It's not that hard to pique curiosity!

The future belongs to the curious -- the ones who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke at it, question it and turn it inside-out.

One of the world's greatest scientists, Albert Einstein, described the value of curiosity this way: "The important thing is not to stop questioning. ... One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day."

To the great thinkers, curiosity is essential. But they don't have a corner on the market. We all need to question what we do not understand, and keep asking until we find answers. Will we solve all the mysteries of the universe? Probably not, but we didn't get to the moon by wishing on a star.

Eleanor Roosevelt, author, diplomat, humanitarian and wife of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, said of curiosity: "I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity."

That view is quite evident in works of the Nobel-winning British author Rudyard Kipling. (You might remember his "The Jungle Book" and "Just So Stories"). He wrote the following poem about the curious nature of man:

I keep six honest serving men

(They taught me all I knew);

Their names are What and Why and When

and How and Where and Who.

I send them over land and sea,

I send them east and west;

But after they have worked for me,

I give them all a rest.

I let them rest from nine till five,

For I am busy then,

As well as breakfast, lunch and tea,

For they are hungry men.

But different folk have different views,

I know a person small -

She keeps ten million serving-men,

Who get no rest at all!

She sends 'em abroad on her own affairs,

From the second she opens her eyes -

One million Hows, two million Wheres,

And seven million Whys!

Mackay's Moral: Let curiosity turn "I don't know" into "I want to find out."

There are motivational writers and motivational speakers, and then there's John Maxwell. John has been called America's No. 1 leadership authority by the American Management Association, and has won the Mother Teresa Prize for Global Peace and Leadership from the Luminary Leadership Network. He has trained more than 6 million leaders in 196 countries.

John Maxwell literally wrote the book -- or more accurately, 13 books -- on leadership. He's written dozens of other books on relationships, preparation and other subjects. But his latest book, "Intentional Living," is an absolute must-read, no matter what occupation you are in.

I've known John for many years, and he never fails to amaze me with his energy and passion for living. And now, he has generously documented his formula for the benefit of all.

Drawing on the assumption that everyone wants his or her life to matter, John explains how age, wealth and fame are not necessary ingredients for making a positive impact on the world.

Rather, he says, the key to living a life that matters is being "intentional." John writes, "If you possess the desire to make a difference, place a high value on people, and are willing to team up with others, significance is within your reach."

John's inspiration came from a gift his assistant gave him 40 years ago. It was a book titled "The Greatest Story Ever Told." But when he opened it, he was surprised to find all the pages were blank. Between the pages she had included a note that read: "John, your life is before you. Fill these pages with kind acts, good thoughts and matters of your heart. Write a great story with your life."

So that's exactly what he did. John was determined to make every day matter.

He writes: "We should never let what we cannot do keep us from doing what we can do. A passive life does not become a meaningful life."

In other words, he challenges us to start small, but dream big.

John is a master list-maker. His advice is easy to follow, because he lays out the important elements of an intentional life. He includes plenty of self-evaluation questions, and identifies the trade-offs that lead to greater opportunities.

I was especially taken with John's analogy about positive anticipation. "To me, living a life that matters is like building a house," he writes. "The process started as I opened the first door, which was 'I want to make a difference.' Once I went through that first doorway ... I discovered some wonderful ways that I could make a difference in the lives of others."

He goes on to add a second room: doing something that makes a difference. That room led him to discover his strengths, like leading, communicating and connecting.

The third door was doing something that makes a difference with people who make a difference. "This new room was filled with people who were potential partners in significance," he explains. "I'm grateful for this because of my personal limitations. Alone I can do only so much."

For many years, his house of significance had just three rooms. Then he found another door of opportunity: at a time that makes a difference. He says, "People who open this door live with intentionality ... They are living the significance cycle: anticipation, action, abundance, anticipation, action, abundance."

In short, John has removed all the excuses that can sabotage an intentional life.

One of my favorite sayings, courtesy of Charlie "Tremendous" Jones, is that our lives basically change in two ways: the people we meet and the books we read. I've collected friends and networked vigorously, and my library is bursting at the seams with self-improvement and inspirational books.

And no matter how many books I read, I realize that nothing will change until I make up my mind to change. I can't rely on anyone else to do it for me. I have to make the best of my opportunities, and create opportunities when none seem to exist.

Mackay's Moral: It's not enough to have good intentions; you have to live them.

I am convinced that "trust" is the most important five-letter word in business -- not "sales" or "money." Trust can be fragile, especially in the workplace. Once it's broken, few companies, managers or employees ever win it back.

At every level of every organization, workers need to understand the importance of keeping their word and living up to the organization's values. Customers and co-workers want to know they can depend on management. Trust between managers and employees is crucial to the long-term enthusiasm, loyalty and productivity of the company.

If you have ever been on the receiving end of a broken promise or a warranty that doesn't cover whatever is wrong with your item, you understand all too well why trust is central to a working relationship.

And although I preach this message constantly, I'm always surprised at the people and companies that just don't get it -- they think the rules don't apply to them. Believe me, they do.

The late management consultant and author Peter Drucker once wrote of trust: "In the ethics of interdependence there are only obligations, and all obligations are mutual obligations. Harmony and trust -- that is, interdependence -- require that each side be obligated to provide what the other side needs to achieve its goals and to fulfill itself."

Your "trust fund" grows in many large and small ways. To develop a healthy balance of trust in your work relationships, make these "deposits" every day:

-- Tell the truth. Never assume that certain people "can't handle the truth." Be as honest with your employees as you expect them to be with you. If you get caught in a lie, your employees won't trust you. You may get a second chance, but don't count on it.

-- Share information. By demonstrating that you are willing to keep employees informed, you help them make good decisions on their own. And it builds their confidence while increasing their willingness to actively participate in the growth of the organization.

-- Speak one-on-one with employees. There's no better way to build a relationship of trust than through personal, face-to-face contact.

-- Resolve conflicts quickly. Whether a dispute is between two employees or two departments, promptly resolving the situation will prevent its escalation and minimize disruption of productivity. Better yet, allow the disputing parties to find a solution. Doing that shows you trust them to use their best judgment.

-- Avoid showing favoritism. Equal treatment must be practiced to promote trust, teamwork and respect.

-- Don't guess when you don't know an answer. When you make a mistake, admit it so you can move on and start fixing it. Honesty is the best way to show people you're dependable. Be straightforward. Admit that you don't have a ready answer rather than waffling or throwing out a haphazard reply that lacks credibility.

-- Show flexibility in your decision-making. Make exceptions to the rules when common sense dictates it. And consider unusual alternatives for problems that can't be resolved by typical methods.

-- Put other people's interests before yours. Focus on what's best for your organization and people, not just on what will benefit you and your career. When employees see your good intentions, they'll often make heroic efforts on your part.

-- Keep your promises. Don't commit to a promise you can't deliver. Think about what's realistic, and do your best to live up to your word. Your employees will notice.

-- Behave ethically. Do the right thing in all your dealings with others. Stand up for your employees, and at the same time, refuse to accept anything but the best from them -- and from yourself.

A remarkable example of trust exists in the deep blue sea, in an arrangement between the shark and the pilot fish. Sharks, as we know, will eat almost any ocean dweller -- except for the pilot fish. In fact, they invite pilot fish to join them for -- not as -- lunch. The smaller fish act as an automatic toothpick and eat the leftover food between the sharks' mighty teeth.

In this unlikely partnership, the shark gets clean teeth and the pilot fish get nourishment. Both swim away satisfied, trusting that the next encounter will be just as successful.

Mackay's Moral: For any successful working relationship, trust is a must.