The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant

Rethinking Leadership, Work, and Human Connection in the Age of AI

whatshot 385 snips

Sep 17, 2026

Adam Grant tackles leadership, careers, and the future of work, from making employee voice matter to learning from hiring mistakes and rethinking tradition and political loyalty. He explores human connection in the age of AI, the promise and pitfalls of hybrid work, and how to shape jobs around strengths. Along the way: magic, favorite foods, scientific role models, and Tom Brady.

37:23

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Voice Matters Even Without Getting Your Way

People want meaningful input even when leaders reject their suggestions.
Leaders preserve trust by explaining filters such as mission, feasibility, affordability, and why adopted ideas beat alternatives.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Make Overlooked People Feel Seen

Make eye contact with lower-status team members and explicitly invite dissent.
In virtual meetings, use chat to notice quiet participants and ask them to challenge your assumptions.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Use Advice Seeking To Win Support

Turn strong emotions into action, then choose the right timing, audience, and delivery.
Ask powerful colleagues for genuine advice; their perspective-taking and ownership can turn opponents into advocates.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Making Employee Voice Matter

02:35 • 5min

chevron_right

Turning Ideas Into Organizational Change

07:22 • 4min

chevron_right

Building Leadership Through Feedback

Learning From Hiring Mistakes

17:12 • 5min

chevron_right

Tradition Can Strengthen Shared Values

21:51 • 2min

chevron_right

Integrity Over Political Loyalty

23:36 • 2min

chevron_right

Magic, Food, and Book Recommendations

25:49 • 2min

chevron_right

Role Models in Science and Sports

Human Connection in the Age of AI

30:44 • 2min

chevron_right

Designing Hybrid Work for Learning

32:16 • 3min

chevron_right

Crafting Jobs Beyond Their Descriptions

• Mentioned in 13 episodes

Vibe

Adam Grant

In Vibe, Adam Grant examines the science of chemistry and closeness to show how people form meaningful connections in work and life. Drawing on studies, expert insights, and real-world stories, the book argues that similarity is not required for solidarity and that closeness can grow through how people spend time together. Grant also reflects on his own journey from shy introvert to enthusiastic convener.

#176

• Mentioned in 162 episodes

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.

In this solo episode of The Curiosity Shop, Adam Grant answers questions about leadership, rethinking, careers, AI, and the future of work. He explores how leaders can make people feel heard without adopting every idea, why seeking feedback early can shape a transformational leader, and how to speak up in ways that actually create change. Adam also reflects on a hiring mistake that challenged his own thinking, explains why he’s changed his mind about tradition, and considers why political beliefs are so difficult to rethink. Along the way, he shares his perspective on the jobs most likely to preserve human connection in the age of AI, the benefits and limitations of remote and hybrid work, and how people can reshape and grow beyond their job descriptions. He also takes on a few lighter questions, sharing whether he still practices magic, his favorite food, and what he admires about Tom Brady.

Be Careful What You Ask For: How Highly Inclusive Leaders Diminish Upward Communication Quality – John J. Sumanth, 2011, (doctoral dissertation) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Carolina Digital Repository

Does Having a Say Matter Only If You Get Your Way? Instrumental and Value-Expressive Effects of Employee Voice – McFarlin, D. B., & Sweeney, P. D., 1996, (journal article) Basic and Applied Social Psychology

The Impact of Leader Eye Gaze on Disparity in Member Influence: Implications for Process and Performance in Diverse Groups – Shim, S.-H., et al., 2021, (journal article) Academy of Management Journal

Feeling Seen: Leader Eye Gaze Promotes Psychological Safety, Participation, and Voice – Nicole Abi-Esber, Alison Wood Brooks & Ethan Burris, 2022, (working paper) Harvard Business School Working Paper

About Katherine Phillips – Columbia Business School, (web page) Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership

Rocking the Boat but Keeping It Steady: The Role of Emotion Regulation in Employee Voice – Grant, A. M., 2013, (journal article) Academy of Management Journal

Win Over an Opponent by Asking for Advice – Liljenquist, K., & Galinsky, A. D., June 27, 2014, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review

Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success – Adam Grant, 2013, (book) Viking

I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963, (speech video) Internet Archive

Martin Luther King Jr., Man of the Year – TIME, January 3, 1964, (magazine cover story) TIME

Early Recording Found of King's 'I Have a Dream' Speech – Montagne, R., August 17, 2015, (radio segment) NPR Morning Edition

Feedback Seeking – Susan J. Ashford, (author research page) susanashford.com