Episode 028: Rethinking the Workplace with Dr. Adam Grant
Oct 11, 2023
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Organizational psychologist and author Dr. Adam Grant discusses workplace dynamics and decision-making. He explores the types of people who excel in the workplace and how personal policies can aid decision-making. Grant shares insights on the importance of rethinking and being open to changing our minds. He also talks about his Junior Olympic diving success and the surprising similarity between academic writing and magic tricks.
Adopting a scientific mindset and treating opinions as hypotheses can improve decision-making in a changing world.
Seeking feedback and engaging in productive discussions helps overcome resistance to changing opinions.
Developing personal policies for decision-making enables consistent and well-informed choices, shaping interactions with others.
Deep dives
The Importance of Being Willing to Change Your Mind
Many people are resistant to changing their opinions because they fear uncertainty and reject unpredictability. Additionally, social pressures and cognitive biases contribute to our reluctance to rethink our beliefs. However, it is crucial to be open to updating our views in a rapidly changing world. By adopting a scientific mindset, treating our opinions as hypotheses and our decisions as experiments, we can be more flexible and improve our decision-making.
The Power of Asking for Honest Feedback
To overcome our resistance to changing our minds, it is essential to actively seek out feedback and engage in productive discussions. Rather than bombarding others with persuasive arguments, it is more effective to ask thought-provoking questions that help us understand others' perspectives. By creating a challenge network or seeking mentorship, we can receive valuable feedback that challenges our beliefs and helps us become better decision-makers.
Building Personal Policies for Decision-Making
Developing personal policies, or guidelines for decision-making, can help us navigate complex choices and avoid being overwhelmed by uncertainty. These policies allow us to make consistent, well-informed decisions and avoid feeling passive or dependent on others. Personal policies also provide a framework for seeking advice and assistance, shaping our interactions with others and enabling us to effectively support and challenge those around us.
Promoting a Culture of Rethinking in Organizations
Many organizations inadvertently discourage rethinking and reinforce narrow mindsets. By prioritizing confidence and dismissing uncertainty, they create an environment that stifles innovation and growth. To foster a culture of rethinking, organizations should encourage experimentation, seek diverse perspectives, and promote feedback and collaboration. Leaders should model open-mindedness and value the willingness to change one's mind as a sign of growth and adaptability.
Unlocking Hidden Potential Through Continuous Growth
Recognizing and nurturing hidden potential requires a growth-oriented mindset. Embracing the idea that talent alone is not enough, individuals should strive to improve their skills and knowledge at an accelerated pace. This can be achieved by seeking feedback, leveraging personal policies, and finding motivation in helping others. By embracing continuous learning and exploration, individuals can tap into their hidden potential and achieve greater success.
Can giving advice actually be more valuable than receiving it? In this episode, Dr. Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and world-renowned author, joins host Annie Duke, co-founder of the Alliance for Decision Education, to rethink the ways we work and learn. Adam discusses which type of people excel the most in the workplace: givers, takers, or matchers. Adam and Annie delve into how establishing “personal policies” can help us with decision-making in the workplace and how we can make workplaces more equitable. Adam explores why he believes the hallmark of true intelligence is the ability to rethink, unlearn, and be open to changing our minds when we encounter new information. He also provides a glimpse into the secrets of his Junior Olympic diving success, as featured in his latest book, Hidden Potential. Finally, Adam shares the surprising similarity between academic writing and performing magic tricks!
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