Sessions

Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World

To survive and thrive, organizations need original thinking. Yet most individuals stay silent instead of voicing their best ideas—and many leaders stifle dissent rather than encouraging it. Drawing on his blockbuster new book, Originals, Adam Grant will explore how we can all get better at recognizing and championing new ideas, how to overcome fear and doubt and how to build cultures that welcome diverse perspectives and honest feedback. He will reveal why late entrants typically beat first movers, friendly managers end up being the least supportive, devil’s advocates often backfire but contrarian opinions are useful even when they’re wrong, and the values that help organizations prosper early on are the same ones that thwart their growth later. Grant’s insights on unleashing originality have been praised by J.J. Abrams, Richard Branson, Malcolm Gladwell, Sheryl Sandberg and Peter Thiel, and this session will bring them to life in ways that are both surprising and entertaining.