CM 024: Adam Grant on Being Original

Abraham Lincoln, Lucy Stone, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Steve Jobs: What set them apart and helped them achieve such world-altering success? In his latest book, Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, Adam Grant shares the research on the mindsets, behaviors, and emotional resilience that lead to incredible breakthroughs in innovation and creativity. He also explains how we can apply these findings to our own lives.

Adam Grant is the youngest tenured, highest-rated professor of management and psychology at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a contributing writer for the New York Times, and he’s consulted with organizations like Google, the United Nations, and the U.S. Army. He is also the bestselling author of Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success.

In this episode, we talk about:

why Originals rarely accept the status quo
breadth versus depth — which one drives innovation and creativity?
the role of risk in the mindset of Originals
what Originals do differently when faced with the same fears as everyone else
why we are the worst judges of our own ideas and who can help us
the importance of status over power in rallying others around our ideas
why enemies can become our biggest advocates
what really causes groupthink and prevents innovation
the power of getting pulled into leadership roles
role models versus mentors and how it can be easier to find them
why we need to rethink optimism, happiness, and contentment for achievement and innovation
why your first 15 ideas are less original than your next 20