Originals

Conventional wisdom holds that some people are innately creative, while most have few original thoughts. Some people are born to be leaders, and the rest are followers. Some people can have real impact, but the majority can’t.

In Originals, Adam Grant shatters all of these assumptions. He demonstrates that any of us can enhance our creativity. He reveals how we can identify ideas that are truly original and predict which ones will work. He tells us when to trust our gut and when to rely on others. He shows how we can become better parents by nurturing originality in our children and better managers by fostering diversity of thought instead of conformity. We learn that great creators don’t necessarily have the deepest expertise but rather seek out the broadest perspectives. We see that success is not usually attained by being ahead of everyone else but by waiting patiently for the right time to act. We also learn that procrastinating can be good!

Every day, we all encounter things we love and things that need to change. But trying to change deep-seated beliefs and behaviors is daunting. We accept the status quo because effecting real change seems impossible. Still, we dare to ask: Can one individual make a difference? And, in our bravest moments: Could that one individual be me? Adam’s answer is a resounding yes. This book proves that any one of us can champion ideas that improve the world around us.