The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
Vox Media Podcast Network
Research professor Brené Brown and organizational psychologist Adam Grant are partnering on a new weekly podcast grounded in an unflinching commitment to learning and unlearning. At a time when public discourse rewards certainty over inquiry, The Curiosity Shop features two of the world's most sought-after experts on connection, change, and leadership making the case for slowing down, asking better questions, and embracing informed complexity over easy answers. Bringing together their left and right brain sensibilities — she’s a qualitative researcher; he’s a quantitative researcher — they explore some of the defining questions of our time, unpack the research reshaping how we live, lead, and love, and dive deep into the ideas, evidence, and cultural moments intriguing them the most. New episodes drop every Thursday. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Episodes
Mentioned books
257 snips
Sep 17, 2026 • 37min
Rethinking Leadership, Work, and Human Connection in the Age of AI
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.
330 snips
Sep 10, 2026 • 1h 9min
Can Conflict Actually Make Our Relationships Stronger? with Priya Parker
Priya Parker, a facilitator and author of The Art of Gathering and The Art of Fighting, reimagines conflict as a route to belonging. She explores “healthy heat,” toxic politeness, low-stakes practice, and how preparation can prevent escalation. Brené Brown and Adam Grant reflect on how hard conversations, honesty, and a willingness to change have deepened their friendship.
145 snips
Sep 3, 2026 • 1h 26min
What Chimpanzees Reveal About How We Connect and Divide with Aaron Sandel
Aaron Sandel, an anthropologist and primatologist who studies wild chimpanzees, takes us into Ngogo’s extraordinary social world. He recounts how friendships, family bonds, hierarchy, and mentorship shaped a vast community before former companions became enemies. Their split, lethal conflict, and subtle emotional signals illuminate polarization, belonging, communication, and the bonds shared across species.
245 snips
Aug 27, 2026 • 1h 3min
Building Integrity in the Age of Normalized Cheating
They unpack a story about students building an LLM to game an exam and how that reveals widespread rationalizing. They debate whether AI use counts as cheating and whether proctoring can solve the problem. They explore moral identity, why guilt (not shame) nudges honesty, when pledges backfire, and how inconsistent enforcement erodes trust.
267 snips
Aug 20, 2026 • 41min
Brené Brown on Protecting our Attention, Time, and Humanity in a World that Won’t Slow Down
A deep dive into protecting attention and humanity amid nonstop busyness. Conversations about how AI can draft while human discernment stays essential. The hidden cost of polished but shallow work and why grief often precedes real change. Reflections on presence, preparation, pausing, active listening, and a quirky two-watch metaphor.
198 snips
Aug 13, 2026 • 57min
Can We Build an “Us” Without a “Them”? with John Green
John Green, author and creator behind The Fault in Our Stars and CrashCourse, joins to talk community and belonging. He shares why football and the World Cup build collective energy. Conversations move from lifelong friendships and shared projects to chaplaincy lessons about sitting with pain. He previews his new novel Hollywood, Ending and explores whether an inclusive “us” can exist without a “them.”
186 snips
Aug 6, 2026 • 1h 25min
Leading Under Pressure with Rebecca Lowe
Rebecca Lowe, veteran TV presenter known for NBC Premier League and Fox’s 2026 World Cup coverage. She talks about why preparation beats performative confidence. She recalls breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry. She explains tactics for keeping live broadcasts calm and focused, from timing cues to intentional interruptions. She also reflects on representation, safety on the job, and adapting to superstar personalities.
103 snips
Jul 30, 2026 • 1h 13min
Why Sports Matter Even When the Game Doesn’t with Roger Bennett
Roger Bennett, founder and CEO of Men in Blazers and celebrated soccer storyteller. He recounts World Cup road tales and the odd grief of withdrawal. He contrasts hero players with hero teams, highlights underdog magic like Cape Verde, explores fan rituals and collective joy, and reflects on sports as a mirror of politics, identity, and memory.
381 snips
Jul 23, 2026 • 1h 4min
The Framework for Leading With Both Care and Accountability
Aiko Bethea, senior leadership coach and author of Anchored, Aligned, and Accountable, guides listeners through a live leadership coaching moment. She explains her three-part framework and contrasts doing your best with assuming good intent. Aiko models three levels of listening and shows how curiosity, generosity, and nervous-system regulation enable care and non-punitive accountability.
160 snips
Jul 16, 2026 • 39min
You Don't Get an A for Effort
They unpack the difference between effort and excellence and why praising effort alone can mislead. Coaching replaces grading as the right response when results lag. Misaligned priorities quietly derail teams, so they explore a consequential/reversible 2x2 for decision making. They also examine how leaders’ emotional signals shape priorities and how to repair and realign systems.
