WorkLife with Adam Grant-logo

WorkLife with Adam Grant

TED Audio Collective

You spend a quarter of your life at work. You should enjoy it! Organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside the minds of some of the world’s most unusual professionals to discover the keys to a better work life. From learning how to love your rivals to harnessing the power of frustration, one thing’s for sure: You’ll never see your job the same way again. Produced in partnership with Transmitter Media.

Location:

United States

Description:

You spend a quarter of your life at work. You should enjoy it! Organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside the minds of some of the world’s most unusual professionals to discover the keys to a better work life. From learning how to love your rivals to harnessing the power of frustration, one thing’s for sure: You’ll never see your job the same way again. Produced in partnership with Transmitter Media.

Language:

English


Episodes

Understanding the pendulum swing of global power with Ian Bremmer

3/19/2024
As a political scientist and founder of Eurasia Group, Ian Bremmer helps business leaders, policymakers and the general public make sense of the world. He gives a stirring analysis of the current state of global affairs and explains what makes 2024 so complex. Ian and Adam discuss the cyclical nature of geopolitics, what’s different about today’s crisis of democracy, and what we can do as individuals to cope with it. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:35:50

will.i.am on AI — and the future of creativity

3/12/2024
You may know will.i.am as the seven-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and frontman of The Black Eyed Peas. But his interests beyond music have also taken him down a surprising and creative path — from serving as the director of creative innovation at Intel, to becoming the first artist to stream a song from the surface of Mars, to hosting the first radio show with an AI co-host. Adam asks about will.i.am’s creative process and digs into how he turns his expansive ideas into reality. will.i.am also shares his hopes and fears about the future of technology and entertainment, and the two debate what AI can and can’t do for human creativity. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:31:46

How to be productive without burning out, with Cal Newport

3/5/2024
Cal Newport knows a thing or two about productivity: when he’s not teaching computer science at Georgetown, he’s writing for The New Yorker, hosting a podcast, or authoring New York Times bestsellers like Deep Work and Digital Minimalism. In his new book, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, Cal proposes that we trade current standards of rapid output for slower, higher-quality, and sustainable ways of working. Adam and Cal dig into the data on productivity, debate the benefits and drawbacks of doing fewer things (and spending less time on email and social media), and discuss individual habits and organizational practices for preventing burnout and promoting worthwhile work. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:41:29

Is your organization a little culty? with NXIVM whistleblower Sarah Edmondson

2/27/2024
Sarah Edmondson escaped and blew the whistle against NXIVM, the cult masquerading as a “personal and professional development company.” With clarity and a surprising and wry sense of humor, Sarah shares her lessons about the dark sides of charisma. She and Adam discuss what makes groups a little (or a lot) culty, the telltale signs of manipulation, and why our highest loyalty belongs to principles — not people. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:27:31

Redefining hustle culture with Robin Arzón

2/20/2024
Robin Arzón is the head instructor at Peloton and an ultramarathon runner, but she didn’t plan to make her career based on her athletic prowess. In this conversation with Adam, she talks about how she fell in love with running in adulthood and her radical career pivot from lawyer to renowned exercise instructor. They discuss what hustle culture gets wrong, why motivation may be less important than momentum, and how to create a consistent practice in the gym — and beyond it. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:39:06

Revising the stories we hold dear with Denise Hamilton

2/13/2024
Denise Hamilton is an inclusion strategist who works with organizations ranging from the UN to the WNBA. She is also the author of Indivisible: How to Forge our Differences into a Stronger Future. Denise and Adam discuss the pain of abandoning old stories, the value of revising long-held beliefs, and how to respond to the backlash against diversity and inclusion. Indivisible is out now. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:35:16

Power, purpose, and the American presidency with Jared Cohen

2/6/2024
Jared Cohen is a history buff with a career that boasts its own remarkable story. From the State Department to founding Jigsaw at Google to leading global affairs and innovation at Goldman Sachs, Jared has worked with the world’s top leaders to tackle humanity’s biggest problems. His work in international problem-solving also translates into a passion for U.S. history. His new book, Life After Power, is a fascinating exploration about what seven American presidents did after leaving the most influential job in the world. Adam and Jared discuss the psychology of the founding fathers, debate the pros and cons of pursuing a legacy, and share what these historic figures can teach us all about pursuing and finding purpose. Life After Power is out February 13, 2024. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:34:40

How to become a "friction-fixer" with Bob Sutton

1/30/2024
Bob Sutton is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author. In this zesty conversation with Adam, Bob shares insights on how to overcome friction at work. The two also discuss steps for leaders to become better listeners, the surprising advantages of inconvenience, and why it’s better to be a boring leader than an a-hole boss. Bob’s latest book, The Friction Project, is out now. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:38:14

Overcoming toxic positivity with Susan David

1/23/2024
You don’t always decide what you feel, but you do own how you react to those feelings. In her bestselling book and TED Talk, Harvard Medical School psychologist Susan David examines the skills involved in emotional agility. She and Adam go deep on this topic, discussing the risks of judging and suppressing unwanted emotions — and effective techniques for managing them. They explore why optimism is not essential to well-being and how to overcome pressure to be positive. And they reveal how paying attention to what you feel can reveal what you value. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:36:11

You have more control over your emotions than you think with Lisa Feldman Barrett

1/16/2024
Emotions are like opinions — everyone has them. Thanks to the pioneering research of today’s guest, we know that it’s possible to transform our feelings by changing how we think and talk about them. Lisa Feldman Barrett is a psychologist and neuroscientist at Northeastern University and Harvard Medical School. In this episode, Lisa and Adam bust myths about how emotions are constructed in the brain and experienced in the body. They discuss the surprising evidence that language doesn’t just describe emotions — it shapes them. And they examine how managing your emotions is easier than you may realize. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:36:26

Jennifer Garner realizes her hidden potential

1/9/2024
Jennifer Garner’s roles — from “13 Going on 30” to “Juno” to “Alias” — often center strong women who know how to achieve great things. In a fun and surprising live conversation, Jennifer chats with Adam about his latest book, “Hidden Potential.” They dive into the most eye-opening findings in Adam’s research and the unexpected factors that build character and long-term success. Plus, the two dream up the ideal school — and discuss what it’s like to be both “Type A” and “Type Z” parents. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:51:40

Bringing out the good in kids —and parents— with Becky Kennedy (Re-release)

1/2/2024
As a clinical psychologist, Becky Kennedy works with parents to raise good kids. She’s best known as Dr. Becky on Instagram, and has been called the "Millennial parenting whisperer" for good reason. Becky and Adam challenge the widespread belief that it’s a parent’s job to make their children happy, talk candidly about the surprisingly difficult task of setting and maintaining boundaries, and dig into the science and practice of helping kids (and adults) deal with the ups and downs of life. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:41:44

Daniel Kahneman doesn't trust your intuition (Re-release)

12/26/2023
Daniel Kahneman is a Nobel Prize winner who transformed our understanding of the biases that cloud our thinking. In this conversation, he and Adam explore when to trust our intuition and when to second-guess it. Danny explains how he finds joy in being wrong, spells out steps to smarter interviewing, and reveals how he—the master decoder of decision-making—makes decisions. Find the transcript for this episode at go.ted.com/RT-Kahneman

Duration:00:35:40

Chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley on why mistakes are our greatest teachers

12/19/2023
Maurice Ashley is a trailblazing chess grandmaster — the first African-American player to claim that prestigious title. He’s also a chess coaching legend, as spotlighted in Adam's new book, “Hidden Potential.” Adam and Maurice discuss the lessons from losing, the benefits of respecting your opponents, and what drives a winning strategy in chess and life. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:38:52

Your brain on art with Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen

12/12/2023
If you think of the arts as entertainment or luxury, Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross might ask you to reconsider. The authors of the New York Times bestseller “Your Brain on Art” argue that engaging with music, craft projects, and museums can transform our lives in unexpected ways. Susan, Ivy, and Adam delve into the fascinating science of neuroaesthetics, and explore how art can unlock creativity, enhance well-being, and enrich communities. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:34:06

The psychology of self-persuasion with Elliot Aronson

12/5/2023
Elliot Aronson is one of the preeminent psychologists of the 20th century — his mentors were Abraham Maslow and Leon Festinger, and his award-winning psychology textbooks are seminal even for non-psychologists. Adam asks Elliot about his pioneering work on making mistakes and cognitive dissonance, or the discomfort we feel when we realize that our attitudes or actions contradict our values. Then, the two discuss the dangers (and upsides) of rationalizing our beliefs — and strategies for making better decisions while keeping an open mind. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:45:03

Brené Brown on What Vulnerability Isn't

11/28/2023
We usually wear our thickest armor at work, and Brené Brown has blazed the trail of teaching us why and how to shed it. In this conversation, Adam and Brené unpack the power of showing vulnerability at work — and explore how much is too much. Learn when and where to set boundaries, find out how to get more comfortable with being uncomfortable, and hear Brené rethink a key assumption that she took for granted in her own work. The transcript for this episode is available at go.ted.com/RT-vulnerability

Duration:00:40:07

Poet Maggie Smith on embracing ambiguity

11/21/2023
Poet and author Maggie Smith isn’t sure where she falls on the spectrum from optimism to pessimism. But her viral poem “Good Bones” and her bestselling books have inspired countless readers with profound insights on the messiness of being human. In this episode, Maggie and Adam discuss strategies for handling complex emotions, sustaining hope while acknowledging reality, and accepting ambiguity in life and art. They explore the value of asking questions that may not have a satisfying answer — or any answer at all. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:44:11

The Office's Rainn Wilson on meaning and happiness

11/14/2023
Rainn Wilson was a late bloomer: he landed the role of Dwight Schrute on “The Office” after over a decade of struggling as an actor. But success didn’t solve all of his problems — and it even created some new ones. In this live conversation for the Authors@Wharton series, Adam asks Rainn about his unlikely journey to stardom and how it led him into exploring the insights that philosophy, psychology, and the world’s great spiritual traditions can offer on modern life’s existential questions. They also discuss Rainn’s favorite moments from “The Office” and do some improv when Dunder Mifflin invites a certain organizational psychologist to talk to Dwight. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:46:02

The problem with optimizing our lives (w/ Barry Schwartz and Coco Krumme)

11/7/2023
Many people are obsessed with optimizing their lives, but this might be a suboptimal way to live. Adam brings together psychologist Barry Schwartz (author of “The Paradox of Choice”) and applied mathematician Coco Krumme (author of “Optimal Illusions”) to discuss the dark side of maximizing everything. The three discuss the unintended consequences of always aiming for the best, debate different strategies for individuals and societies to make better choices, and explore how it’s possible to pursue success without sacrificing happiness. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Duration:00:48:08