Worklife with Adam Grant

In the age of social media and short-form content, many people insist that our attention spans are getting shorter. But historian Daniel Immerwahr reminds us that people have cried wolf for centuries about technology hijacking our attention. In this episode, Adam and Daniel dive into evidence that what’s changing is not our attention spans, but the objects of our focus. They also discuss moral panics of the past, compare the cognitive benefits of video games and the opera, and debate whether or not Marvel movies are a waste of time.FollowHost: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/) Guest: Daniel Immerwahr (Website: history.northwestern.edu/people/faculty/core-faculty/daniel-immerwahr.html) LinksHow to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United StatesSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcasts

Do you hate the taste of cilantro and chocolate? You might be a super taster! Rachel Herz is a neuroscientist at Brown University who specializes in taste and smell. In this episode, Adam, Rachel, and Adam’s wife Allison Sweet Grant investigate the sources of their different food preferences, uncover the overlooked power of smell, and analyze the effects of the gene that can turn some people into picky eaters. FollowHost: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/) Guest: Rachel Herz (Instagram | LinkedIn: @rachelherz | Website: rachelherz.com/) LinksBooks: Why You Eat What You Eat (2019),  That’s Disgusting (2013), The Scent of Desire (2008)Subscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcasts

You may know John Green as the best-selling author of The Fault In Our Stars or the co-creator of the popular YouTube education channel Crash Course. In this episode, John joins Adam for a live conversation at the Authors@Wharton series to discuss his book Everything is Tuberculosis and his mission to fight diseases of injustice. The two also explore strategies for finding motivation and creativity, address John’s banned books, explain how writing is like playing Marco Polo, and uncover John’s favorite Hank Green invention. FollowHost: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/) Guest: John Green (Instagram: @johngreenwritesbooks | TikTok: @literallyjohngreen | Website: johngreenbooks.com/) LinksCrash Course YouTubeEverything is Tuberculosis by John GreenAuthors@Wharton ProgramSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcasts

Ron Chernow is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer whose work has deepened our understanding of the men who made history in America, and even inspired Lin Manuel Miranda to write his musical about Alexander Hamilton. In this episode, he and Adam discuss Ron’s new book on Mark Twain, analyze what fuels outsized accomplishments, and dig into what it takes to uncover new insights into the lives of historical figures.FollowHost: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/)Guest: Ron Chernow (Website: ronchernow.com/) LinksMark Twain by Ron Chernow Alexander Hamilton by Ron ChernowSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcasts

When Jacinda Ardern was thrown into the race for New Zealand’s prime ministry just months before the general election in 2017, she had no intention of even running for the position—but she knew it was her responsibility to become the leader her country needed. In this episode, Adam and Jacinda reflect on strategies for closing confidence gaps, discuss the importance of compassion in leadership, and break down a phenomenon that New Zealanders call “tall poppy syndrome.” They also look back on Jacinda’s most pivotal decisions, from steering the country through the COVID pandemic to stepping down as Prime Minister.FollowHost: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/) Guest: Jacinda Ardern (Instagram: @jacindaardern)LinksPreorder A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda ArdernSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcasts

Many parents believe that their actions will shape the success of their kids. But what if siblings actually matter more? Susan Dominus is a staff writer at the New York Times and the author of The Family Dynamic. In this episode, Susan and Adam discuss the psychology of achievement, the role siblings play in our accomplishments, and the relative impact of nature and nurture on excellence. FollowHost: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/)Guest: Susan Dominus (Instagram: @suedominus | Website: https://english.yale.edu/people/full-part-time-lecturers/susan-dominus) LinksThe Family Dynamic: A Journey Into the Mystery of Sibling SuccessSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcasts

Office hours are in session. In today’s episode, Adam follows up on last week’s analysis of generational stereotyping by fielding questions from three guests who are experiencing age-related challenges at work. Together, they discuss the misuse and impact of psychological safety, brainstorm productive ways to counter negative stereotypes about Gen Z, and explore strategies for bridging communication gaps across generations. Guests: vice-president of T-Mobile Tara Darrow, Adam’s former student Penelope Scandellari, and audio producer Harry Huggins.Host: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/) Guest: Tara Darrow (LinkedIn: @taradarrow) Penelope Scandellari (LinkedIn: @penelopescandellari) Harry Huggins (LinkedIn: @harryhuggins | Website: airmedia.org/talent/harry-huggins) Subscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcasts

There are 5 different generations in the workplace today, and strong views can lead to conflict between age groups. But are generational differences really the problem? In this episode, Adam investigates the root causes of age stereotypes, why they hold us all back, and how to overcome generational divides at work. Guests: journalist Nicole Smith and research scientist Jennifer Deal.FollowHost: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/)Guest:Nicole Smith (Instagram: @writingtwin | LinkedIn: @nicoledoniellesmith)Jennifer Deal (Website: https://ceo.usc.edu/bio/jennifer-deal/)Subscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcasts

In this season of WorkLife, we’re pairing each of our regular episodes with a companion interview to do a deeper dive into the topic. This is the companion for our episode on the secrets of a great apology. Michael McCullough is a psychology professor at UC San Diego and a pioneer in the study of forgiveness, gratitude, and empathy—he finds that although forgiveness is important, it isn’t always the answer to conflict. Michael and Adam discuss why humans evolved to forgive, examine what causes people to hold grudges, and settle last episode’s debate about whether it’s appropriate to ask for forgiveness.    Host: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/)Guest: Michael McCullough (Website: michael-mccullough.com/) Linkspsychology.ucsd.edu/people/profiles/mmccullough.htmlSubscribe to TED Instagram: @tedYouTube: @TEDTikTok: @tedtoksLinkedIn: @ted-conferencesWebsite: ted.comPodcasts: ted.com/podcasts