Originals
Adam Grant · 2016
Innovation
How Non-Conformists Move the World
Adam Grant studies the people who champion new ideas and drive creative change — originals. He shatters the myth that originals are natural risk-takers, showing instead that they're often cautious, filled with doubt, and slow to act. What sets them apart is that they take action anyway.
Context & Background
Grant challenges the romantic notion of the fearless innovator. He shows that many of history's most creative minds — from Martin Luther King Jr. to the founders of Warby Parker — were filled with self-doubt and hedged their bets extensively. What made them original wasn't the absence of fear but the presence of action despite fear.
Originals procrastinate strategically — moderate procrastination can enhance creativity by allowing ideas to incubate. They generate lots of ideas — the best way to have a good idea is to have many ideas. They speak up differently — the most effective dissenters present problems alongside solutions. Birth order matters — later-born children are more likely to take creative risks.
The book was endorsed by Sheryl Sandberg and became a New York Times bestseller. Its research-backed insights on creativity, risk-taking, and organizational culture influenced how companies think about fostering innovation and supporting dissent.
Quotes from Originals
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