Worklife With Adam Grant

This week, we’re sharing a preview of A Slight Change of Plans, from Pushkin Industries. Cognitive scientist Dr. Maya Shankar blends compassionate storytelling with the science of human behavior to help us understand who we are and who we become in the face of a big change. Psychology professor and motivation expert Dr. Ayelet Fishbach joins Maya to share science-backed strategies for setting smarter goals...and actually sticking with them. Hear the full episode, and more, at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/scp5?sid=worklife. A Slight Change of Plans was named Best Podcast of the Year by Apple Podcasts in 2021.

Andrea Jones-Rooy is a data scientist who’s skeptical about data—and a comedian. Andrea and Adam talk about the perks and perils of sharing data on social media, the similarities between the scientific method and comedy, and the value of adding an air of mystery to the way we communicate discoveries. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG12

Growing up, Bo Seo avoided arguments at all costs–until he discovered competitive debate. He went on to win the world debate championship twice and coach the Australian national team as well as the Debating Union at Harvard. Adam and Bo discuss the value of good arguments, how key debate skills pushes us to sharpen our thinking, and how we can get better at disagreeing. Bo’s new book “Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard,” is out now. This episode first aired on The Next Big Idea podcast. You can listen to The Next Big Idea wherever you’re listening to this.

Why do we work five days a week? Could we be just as productive, healthier and happier by working less? And if so, how can leaders and workers successfully make the transition to a new way of working? Adam led a lively discussion of the science and practice of shorter work weeks with top experts from government, business, and academia at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The guests were Ohood Al Roumi, the UAE’s Minister of State for Government Development and the Future; Jonas Prising, CEO and Chairman of ManpowerGroup Inc.; Hilary Cottam, Social Entrepreneur at the Centre for the Fifth Social Revolution; and Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America. This episode also aired on Agenda Dialogues, a podcast from the World Economic Forum. You can listen to Agenda Dialogues and other podcasts from the WEF wherever you’re listening to this. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG11

For someone who doesn’t believe in goal-setting, Emmanuel Acho is highly accomplished. He’s a former NFL linebacker, an Emmy-winning TV sports analyst, and the New York Times bestselling author of “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” – and hosts a video series and podcast of the same name. Emmanuel shares why he is “anti-goals”, how he consistently achieves greatness without pursuing success, and what sports have taught him about living a creative life. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG10

Adam McKay is one of the great satirists of our screens–he’s the writer, director, and producer behind Don’t Look Up, Succession, and The Big Short. Before that, he was best known for making us laugh at Anchorman and as the head writer of Saturday Night Live. Adam and Adam discuss the psychology of human delusion and narcissism, what he learned from improv comedy, and why success is about way more than who you know. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG9

If you were online during the historic 2020 election cycle, you may have seen Sharon McMahon’s viral videos. A former high school educator now known as “America’s Government Teacher,” Sharon fights polarization with nonpartisan facts. Sharon and Adam discuss how we can rethink the qualifications for elected office, who decides to run, and what information voters should weigh. They also address ways to sharpen critical thinking and ponder how to improve Congress with a few thought experiments–including a total takeover of the House and Senate by none other than America’s government teachers. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG8

When Reese Witherspoon was in rehearsals for her lead role in the 2005 film Walk the Line, she wanted to quit–every day. But she went on to win the Oscar for her performance as June Carter Cash. Since then, she’s gone from playing iconic roles in films (Legally Blonde, Election, Water for Elephants) to also producing and starring in her own TV shows and movies (Little Fires Everywhere, Big Little Lies, Wild). Reese talks to Adam about how she's built confidence by facing her doubts head on, and shares why acknowledging what she doesn’t know has helped her found a company–which was recently acquired for $900 million–that finally puts women at the center of their stories. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG7

Growing up, Saul Perlmutter just wanted to know how the world worked. In 2011, he was part of the Nobel Prize-winning team that discovered the accelerating expansion of the universe. Saul and Adam talk about how science and knowledge evolve, what surprising emotions come with discovery, and why the combination of individual humility and collective confidence can solve some of the world’s biggest problems. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG6

It took Celeste Ng a long time to believe she could write for a living. Now she’s the New York Times bestselling author of the novels “Everything I Never Told You” and “Little Fires Everywhere”-- which was developed into a hit TV show by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine. Adam and Celeste have been friends since college–they met through her first writing job. They discuss Celeste’s versatile writing process, her insights on thinking and communicating more clearly, and how she feeds her curiosity–both as a reader and a writer. Celeste’s latest book, “Our Missing Hearts,” is out now. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG5

Have you ever thought you can’t do something because you’re “not wired that way”? Neuroscientist Chantel Prat might challenge you to rethink your beliefs. Chantel dispels some sticky myths about right-brainers and left-brainers, shares her research on how learning to code depends more on verbal skills than math skills, and generates some hypotheses about Adam’s brain. Her debut book “The Neuroscience of You” is out now. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG4

This week, we’re sharing a special episode from one of Adam's favorite podcasts, Revisionist History. Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast about things misunderstood and overlooked. This season, Malcolm is obsessed with experiments – natural experiments, scientific experiments, thought experiments. And in this episode, Adam Grant got to help out. Malcolm wanted to talk with a group of college seniors or recent graduates. So Adam invited him to a special seminar at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Adam’s students become guinea pigs as Malcom tries to help them identify and then discuss a very specific type of privilege, a category of privilege that’s often ignored. If you know Malcolm Gladwell, he does sometimes seem to have it out for Ivy League schools like Penn. But this episode is not what you might expect: Malcolm winds up pointing the finger of blame quite firmly in his own direction, too. You can hear more from Revisionist History at https://link.chtbl.com/workliferevisio

Atul Gawande was advised by a colleague to say yes to every opportunity until he turned 40. Since then he’s been a renowned surgeon, a public health leader and government policymaker, and a bestselling author and “New Yorker” writer. He talks with Adam about his fascinating career and how he balances his passions for different fields, why he works with a coach even in the operating room, and how he’s working in The White House to end our current pandemic–and prevent the next one. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG3

In 2017, Alex Honnold did what even the world’s best rock climbers thought was impossible. He climbed to the top of El Capitan– a granite rock mountain more than 3,000 feet high– without a rope, harness, or net. His audacious feat was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo,” and it left Adam with some burning questions about what we can learn from his unique approach to managing fear. Alex opens up about how he regulates his emotions when he’s hanging on by just a few fingers, what still scares him, and how he stays motivated to pursue ambitious goals. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG2

Mark Cuban has gone from selling garbage bags door-to-door to selling internet companies for billions, acquiring an NBA team, and becoming a beloved “Shark” on Shark Tank. Mark reveals to Adam how he turns problems into opportunities in entrepreneurship, basketball, and investing. They discuss his latest venture–disrupting the healthcare industry with an online pharmacy and a price-slashing philosophy that makes hundreds of drugs affordable–and why following your passion is not the best way to maintain your motivation. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG1

Great news WorkLifers! You told us you wanted more episodes of Taken for Granted, and we listened. We’ve renamed the show Re:Thinking with Adam Grant, and we’ll be back with more episodes, all year round. In every episode Adam will host lively discussions and debates with the world’s most fascinating thinkers, creators, achievers, and leaders to figure out what makes them tick. Adam will bring curiosity and science to conversations with people like entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban, death-defying rock climber Alex Honnold, novelist Celeste Ng, Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon, Nobel Prize-winning Saul Perlmutter, the physicist who discovered the expansion of the universe, and many more. How do they think–and what do they challenge us all to rethink? Find out on ReThinking with Adam Grant on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

Michael Scott, Leslie Knope, Detective Jake Peralta–television producer and writer Michael Schur has created some of TV’s most beloved sitcom characters on shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and The Good Place. Still, his shows and his philosophy are not just about laughs. Today on The TED Interview, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective, Michael Schur sits down with host Steven Johnson. They dive into the craft of writing the TV comedy, why he is obsessed with philosophy and ethics, and what he’s learned from both the fictional and the real workplace about how humans behave, grow, and love. Michael’s New York Times-bestselling book “How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question” is out now.  For more episodes on the future of work, health, intelligence, and more, follow The TED Interview wherever you're listening to this.

It’s hard to make change at work happen. But wherever you sit in the hierarchy, there are steps you can take to overcome resistance and motivate people to embrace new ideas. In this episode, Adam brings in an education change agent, a business turnaround specialist, and a bestselling author to identify what you can do to improve the status quo. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/WL49

How do you avoid joining a toxic culture– and build a healthy one once you’ve arrived? In this episode, Adam explores how to recognize the four deadly sins of work culture before you join an organization, and shares strategies that can help shape a thriving workplace from the inside. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/WL48 We have a quick favor to ask you! We love making the show, and we're always trying to make it better. So if you have a few minutes, please take our survey at surveynerds.com/worklife

Disability is far more common and far more diverse than we might realize. But often, people are reluctant to reveal their disabilities, and managers don’t know how to address them. In this episode, Adam investigates some extraordinary steps workplaces are taking to support people with disabilities– and those without. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/WL47 We have a quick favor to ask you! We love making the show, and we're always trying to make it better. So if you have a few minutes, please take our survey at surveynerds.com/worklife