Worklife with Adam Grant

Welcome to The Curiosity Shop! In the inaugural episode, Brené and Adam discuss how a public disagreement about authenticity almost ended their relationship before it began. For the first time, they discuss where they went wrong, why they changed their minds about each other, and what they learned about repair and trust. They also explore what healthy authenticity looks like, and dive into the many things they may still never fully see eye to eye on – from email vs. texting to remote work to faith.

Jessica Campbell is a hockey coach with the Seattle Kraken, and the first full-time female assistant coach in NHL history to work behind the bench. In this episode, Jessica and Adam reflect on the lessons from being the first or only girl on a team, break down Jessica’s three core tenets of leadership, and discuss different ways of delivering effective feedback and tough love to help individuals and teams reach their full potential.Featured guestFollow Jessica Campbell on Instagram and at jessicaecampbell.com/Connect with the teamFollow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/Subscribe to Adam’s SubstackWatch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollectiveFollow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Leanne ten Brinke is a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia and an expert on narcissists, psychopaths, and liars. In this episode, Leanne and Adam debunk common myths about people with these dark personality traits and share tips for spotting them.They also break down strategies for connecting with and managing people with these traits, discuss how to reduce any dark tendencies you might see in yourself, and rethink their place in workplaces.Featured guestFollow Leanne ten Brinke on Instagram and at leannetenbrinke.com/Connect with the teamFollow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/Subscribe to Adam’s SubstackWatch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollectiveFollow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Esther Perel is a psychotherapist known for her innovative approach to relationships. In this episode, Adam and Esther discuss the relational baggage we all carry through our lives and into our work, and how our differing personalities and relationship styles can affect collaboration and culture. They break down the differences between relationship- and task-oriented personalities, and consider the fine balance between risk-taking and rule-following that makes for a healthy relationship with ourselves and others.Featured guestFollow Esther Perel on Instagram, Substack, and at estherperel.com/Connect with the teamFollow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/Subscribe to Adam’s SubstackWatch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollectiveFollow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Matt Damon is best known as the Hollywood icon from movies like Good Will Hunting and The Martian, but he has another passion offscreen: ensuring access to clean, safe water around the world. When he met social entrepreneur Gary White in 2008, they realized they could combine their efforts to reach more people and created water.org, which Gary leads as CEO. In this episode, Adam sits down with Matt and Gary at the World Economic Forum in Davos to talk about their innovative approach to problem-solving, handling rejection in high-stakes work environments, and Matt’s knack for forging strong partnerships. Adam also invites the two to office hours to tackle one of their ongoing challenges.Connect with the teamFollow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/Subscribe to Adam’s SubstackWatch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollectiveFollow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Sara Seager is an astrophysicist and planetary scientist whose research focuses on exoplanets—planets outside our solar system orbiting other stars. In this episode, Adam and Sara investigate the possibility of finding alien lifeforms in other solar systems or even on planets or moons closer to home, and Sara breaks down how scientists detect exoplanets and why this kind of science is so important for advancing discoveries here on Earth. They debate the likelihood of discovering intelligent alien life in our lifetime, and Sara reflects on the unique childhood circumstances that led to her groundbreaking work.Featured guestFollow Sara Seager on LinkedIn and at saraseager.com/Connect with the teamFollow Adam on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at adamgrant.net/Subscribe to Adam’s SubstackWatch ReThinking videos on YouTube at TEDAudioCollectiveFollow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok