What We're Reading: Katherine Recommends
I can’t think of a better way to kick off EPI’s July creativity series (stay tuned!) than with this month’s recommended reading: Originals: How Nonconformists Move the World by Adam Grant.
Grant is currently the youngest and, arguably, the most beloved professor at Wharton School of Business. He believes we’re all creative, we’re all original. From this premise, he explores why some innovative ideas launch while others flop. To understand the recipe for successful originality, Grant examines some of history’s most innovative thinkers, leaders, and companies. Originals is a roadmap for how to generate original thought, override over-confidence, speak up for unique insights, bypass fears, avoid the culture of "groupthink," and so much more.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxbCHn6gE3U[/embed]
I first heard Adam Grant in an NPR interview, talking about procrastination. That led me to his TED talk (above), which led me to Originals.
I started out curious, but I finished inspired. Each chapter is so compelling, I found myself constantly reevaluating my preconceptions about creativity.
A few reasons why I love this book:
It’s myth-busting. Grant shares myth-busting gems of data about what it means to be creative and original. Referencing an array of research and case studies, he reveals that many of our assumptions are not evidence-based.
It’s applicable. Originals is chock-full of great research, but Grant keeps it accessible to the lay reader. You’ll get a lot out of this book, whether you want to better understand your own creative process or inspire a company culture of original thought.
And it’s human. Grant weaves pithy and rich stories into each chapter to show the quirkiness of originality at play. From famous creatives, risk takers, and investors like Steve Jobs and Jackie Robinson, to lesser-known originals like Ray Dalio (Chairman of Bridgewater Associates) and Edwin Land (former CEO of Polaroid), Grant details what they did “right” and where they misstepped. Taken together, Grant’s stories reveal the humanity behind our deep drive to create.
One of my favorite aspects of the book is Grant’s “Actions for Impact,” which summarizes the practical steps we can take to unleash our originality.
Think you know what it takes be original? Take the Originals quiz on Grant’s website. You may surprise yourself!