Intelligence Squared Unlock Your Potential, with Adam Grant And Andrew McAfee
Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and author, teams up with Andrew McAfee, a principal research scientist at MIT, to discuss unlocking hidden potential. They explore how social influence shapes behavior more than individual traits and emphasize the importance of character skills in entrepreneurial success. The conversation delves into embracing a maverick mindset for innovation, fostering openness in organizations, and the role of ethics training in moral development. Their insights challenge conventional thinking, encouraging listeners to redefine their approach to personal and professional growth.
49:56
Character Skills for Hidden Potential
- Unlocking hidden potential involves improving at improving, focusing on character skills.
- These skills, like proactivity and discipline, enable faster improvement and success.
Surround Yourself with Skilled Individuals
- Surround yourself with people skilled in areas you want to improve, especially difficult things.
- You subconsciously absorb their skills and character traits through observation and emulation.
Kiteboarding and Public Practice
- Andrew McAfee realized his kiteboarding practice suffered by avoiding public practice due to fear of failure.
- Public practice offers learning opportunities through observing others and receiving coaching.
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Intro
00:00 • 5min
The Power of Emulation and Public Practice
04:56 • 6min
Debating the Value of Education and a Busy Lifestyle
11:13 • 3min
Embracing the Maverick Mindset
14:29 • 16min
Fostering Openness and Perspective
30:00 • 13min
The Efficacy of Ethics Training and Human Nature
42:33 • 6min
The Power of Social Influence Over Individual Differences
48:31 • 2min
Final Accounting
Ambition, Greed, and the Fall of Arthur Andersen
Barbara Ley Toffler
Jennifer Reingold
Final Accounting chronicles the downfall of Arthur Andersen, once a respected accounting firm, due to a culture of arrogance and greed. The book exposes the gradual deterioration of values that led to major financial scandals, including Enron and WorldCom. Toffler provides a chilling report with important implications for corporate leaders and investors.
Enterprise 2.0
new collaborative tools for your organization's toughest challenges
Andrew McAfee
In 'Enterprise 2.0', Andrew McAfee explores how businesses can utilize emergent social software platforms to enhance collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing. The book provides insights into overcoming barriers to adopting these technologies and offers a roadmap for successful implementation. It highlights case studies of companies that have effectively integrated Enterprise 2.0 tools into their operations.
Think Again
Adam Grant
In 'Think Again', Adam Grant argues that the ability to rethink at personal, interpersonal, and collective levels is crucial in today's polarized world. He uses scientific research, personal anecdotes, and engaging stories to illustrate how people can find joy in being wrong, leverage the benefits of impostor syndrome, and cultivate environments of lifelong learning. Grant emphasizes the need to challenge our convictions, adopt a scientific mindset, and foster curiosity and humility. He provides examples of individuals who have successfully rethought their approaches, from firefighters to business leaders, and offers practical exercises for improving rethinking skills[2][4][5].
The Geek Way: The Radical Mindset that Drives Extraordinary Results
Andrew McAfee
In 'The Geek Way,' Andrew McAfee explores the radical mindset that underpins the success of tech startups and other innovative organizations. By combining insights from cultural evolution, management theory, competitive strategy, psychology, military history, and cultural anthropology, McAfee shows how this 'geek way' of thinking and working can lead to rapid learning, intense cooperation, and the achievement of remarkable results. The book argues that when the right conditions are in place, this mindset can help build reusable spaceships and self-correcting organizations, while under the wrong conditions, it can prevent bureaucracy and other dysfunctions of the Industrial Era.
No Rules Rules
Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention
Erin Meyer
Reed Hastings
In this book, Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer explore the counterintuitive management culture that has driven Netflix's success. The authors discuss how Netflix's approach, which includes no vacation or expense policies, generous severance for underperforming employees, and a focus on candid feedback, has led to unparalleled innovation and speed. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with current and past Netflix employees, the book provides actionable lessons for leaders on how to build and maintain a highly innovative and adaptable organizational culture.
The Second Machine Age
Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies
Andrew McAfee
Erik Brynjolfsson
The book explores the concept of the 'Second Machine Age,' where digital technologies, including hardware, software, and networks, are revolutionizing work and life. It discusses how these technologies are making humans and machines substitutes rather than complements, leading to significant economic changes such as increased productivity and profits, but also rising inequality. The authors propose strategies for survival and prosperity, including revamping education, designing new collaborations between humans and machines, and implementing policies to mitigate the negative effects of technological advancements.
Jack
Straight from the Gut
John A. Byrne
Jack Welch
This book is an insightful look into Jack Welch's career as the CEO of General Electric. It covers his early days, his rise through the corporate ranks, and his unique leadership strategies, including the Differentiation Vitality Curve and Six Sigma. Welch discusses significant events, such as major acquisitions and the growth of GE Capital, and reflects on both his successes and mistakes. The book provides a candid view of Welch's management style and the cultural changes he implemented at GE, making it a valuable read for management professionals and anyone interested in business leadership[2][4][5].
Rationality
From AI to Zombies
Eliezer Yudkowsky
Hidden Potential
The Science of Achieving Greater Things
Adam Grant
In 'Hidden Potential,' Adam Grant dismantles the myth that success is primarily due to innate talent. He argues that potential is not fixed but can be cultivated over time through effort, persistence, and continuous learning. The book emphasizes the development of 'character skills' such as proactivity, determination, and the ability to embrace discomfort and learn from failure. Grant uses compelling stories of late bloomers and underdogs who achieved greatness through sheer determination, highlighting the importance of support systems, motivation, and the willingness to push beyond comfort zones. The book offers a new framework for raising aspirations and exceeding expectations, applicable in various domains from education to the workplace and beyond[2][4][5].
Machine, Platform, Crowd
Andrew McAfee
Erik Brynjolfsson
In 'Machine, Platform, Crowd', Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson explore the transformative power of digital technologies, focusing on three key shifts: from minds to machines, products to platforms, and core to crowd. The book offers insights into how these changes are reshaping industries and provides strategies for businesses to thrive in this new landscape.
Originals
How Non-Conformists Move the World
Adam Grant
In 'Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World', Adam Grant delves into the creative process and the mindset of individuals who challenge the status quo. The book discusses how originals manage risk while following their vision, the importance of quantity over quality in idea generation, and the role of procrastination and strategic timing in creative output. Grant also addresses how to communicate original ideas effectively, deal with emotional turmoil, and instill originality in various contexts, including business and child-rearing. The book challenges common myths about success and creativity, offering practical advice and anecdotes from historical figures and contemporary examples[2][4][5].
Winning
The Unforgiving Race to Greatness
Shari Wenk
Tim Grover
In 'Winning: The Unforgiving Race to Greatness', Tim S. Grover presents a brutally honest and results-driven strategy for achieving massive success. Drawing from his three decades of work with elite competitors, Grover challenges conventional wisdom and emphasizes the importance of single-minded intensity and continuous learning. The book outlines thirteen crucial principles for unbeatable performance, applicable not just to athletes but to innovators and leaders in various fields. It highlights the need to challenge traditional methods, think originally, and persist in overcoming obstacles to achieve greatness.
Organisational psychologist Adam Grant and IT research scientist Andrew McAfee discuss how we can all learn to unlock a bit more of our own potential with Intelligence Squared's executive producer, Hannah Kaye. Grant is the author of recent book Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. McAfee recently published The Geek Way, which charts the rise of what he terms geeks in running some of the most successful organisations on the planet over the past two decades.
You can get even more of Adam Grant in the new year when he returns for a rare London appearance for Intelligence Squared's live event: Achieving Greatness. This time Grant will be teaming up with FT columnist, author and economist Tim Harford at Cadogan Hall on 18 January 2024.
Visit the link below to get tickets.
https://www.intelligencesquared.com/events/achieving-greatness-with-adam-grant-and-tim-harford/
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