Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World — Adam Grant

Read 03.05.17

How is Originality produced? How do Originals think?

Adam Grant tackles these questions with numerous studies along with a pointed retaliation against pre-established perceptions of originality. He most strongly emphasizes how original people are really not that different from you and me, but also highlights specific environmental and cognitive factors that may stimulate creative, unconventional thought. I particularly enjoyed reading Grant's analysis of risk taking behavior and how to channel fear into excitement. It was definitely a book I am looking forward to read again. 

Although Grant does not dive deep into this topic, my biggest takeaway from Originals is the importance of timing. When is the right time to do something? Grant proposes his take on timing in relation to the advantages and disadvantages of being the first mover into a market, or how procrastination can assist the creative process, but I believe the importance of timing was best represented in which it was only implied. Take Carmen Medina, who introduced an internal Wikipedia for intelligence agencies. Although her project revolutionized data-keeping in the CIA, her proposal was initially regarded as ambitious and dangerous. Given her low status, it was impossible for Medina to be heard and only after her promotion to "the executive level" (68) was her voice heard. As Grant phrases: "Medina didn't put her career on the line by attempting to attack the system from below. Instead, she aimed to earn status by becoming part of the system and then changing it from within," (66). 

What does this mean for the rest of us? One of most reused arguments that defend originality is the Outlier statement. It goes: "I am not like the rest of you therefore my input into your field is new and unique." Sometimes, outside perspectives do provide a fresh insight, this much is true. However, presenting such insights as someone outside the system is undoubtably, a difficult thing. So is the only way to induce change from within? I would answer yes and no. Yes, participating and earning status from within will amplify your voice. However, to bring change, or perhaps to even conceive of it, you cannot fully immerse yourself into the system in its traditional state. Conforming may get you in, but it might trap you inside as well. How can you improve something if you can't see anything wrong with it? It's important to maintain a balance of perspectives. I'm afraid I'm not being as clear as I want to be on this, but I hope it makes some sense. 

On maintaining a balance of perspectives, it is especially crucial today where personally, skepticism is at an all-time high. We live in an age where facts are opinionated and unverified. We've come far from accepting information as they are presented, and although this presents little benefits to society as a whole, I believe it's good practice to doubt. Even better practice to doubt, and in reaction, pursue the truth.

1. What are they telling me?

2. Why are they telling me this? 

The second question encompasses a lot of smaller questions, that are just as important to consider:

When are they telling this and why at this time? Who is the intended audience? Who does telling this help? How are they telling it? Why did they choose this medium? 

As Bill Gates said: "Stay hungry. Stay skeptical." 

As always, below are my favorite snippets of the book. 

"I want to debunk the myth that originality requires extreme risk taking and persuade you that originals are actually far more ordinary than we realize. In every domain, from business and politics to science and art, the people who move the world forward with original ideas are rarely paragons of conviction and commitment. As they question traditions and challenge the status quo, they may appear bold and self-assured in the surface. But when you peel back the layers, the truth is that they, too, grapple with fear, ambivalence, and self doubt. We view them as self-starters, but their efforts are often fueled and some times forced by others. And as much as they seem to crave risk, they really prefer to avoid it." pg. 17

"The passion to see an idea to fruition isn't visible in the emotion people express. The enthusiasm we inject into our words, tone of voice, and body language isn't a clue to the internal passion we experience, but merely a reflection of our presentation skills and our personalities." pg. 55

"When we're aware that someone is trying to persuade us, we naturally raise our mental shields. Rampant confidence is a red flag— a signal that we need to defend ourselves against weapons of influence." (70)

"This explains why we often under-communicate our ideas. They're already so familiar to us that we underestimate how much exposure an audience needs to comprehend and buy into them. When Harvard professor John Kotter studied change agents years ago, he found that they typically under-communicated their visions by a factor of ten. On average, they spoke about the direction of the change ten times less often than their stakeholders needed to hear it." (76)

"Shifting the focus from why to how can help people become less radical. In a series of experiments, when people with extreme political views were asked to explain the reasons behind their policy preferences, they stuck to their guns. Explaining why gave them a chance to affirm their convictions. But when asked to explain how their preferred policies work, they became more moderate. Considering how led them to confront the gaps in their knowledge and realize that some of their extreme views were impractical." (125)

"In one study, having more ambivalent relationships predicted higher rates of stress, depression, and dissatisfaction with life. In another, older adults rated their relationships with the ten most important people in their lives, and completed two anxiety-provoking tasks: delivering a speech with little preparation and taking a rapid fire math test. The more ambivalent relationships the participants had, the more their heart rates spiked on both tasks." (131)

"We find it more rewarding when someone's initially negative feelings toward us gradually become positive than if that person's feelings for us were entirely positive all along." (132)

"[Frances Willard] offer(s) two lessons about persuading potential partners to join forces. First, we need to think differently about values. In stead of assuming that others share our principles, or trying to convince them to adopt ours, we ought to present our values as a means of pursuing theirs. It's hard to change other people's ideals. It's much easier to link our agendas to familiar values that people already hold." (140)

"When stories emphasized original achievement, patent rates typically soared twenty to forty years later. As Dean Simonton summarizes, "It took time for the children exposed to the achievement imagery in school to grow up and contribute to the creation of new inventions."" (173)

"To overcome fear, why does getting excited work better than trying to calm yourself down? Fear is an intense emotion: you can feel your heart pumping andy our blood coursing. In that state, trying relax is like slamming on the brakes when a car is going 80 miles per hour. The vehicle still has momentum. Rather than trying to suppress a strong emotion, it's easier to convert it into a different emotion— one that's equally intense, but propels us to step on the gas." (216)

"When we're angry at others, we aim for retaliation or revenge. But when we're angry for others, we seek out justice and a better system. We don't just want to punish; we want to help." (242)

"In the quest for happiness, many of us choose to enjoy the world as it is. Originals embrace the uphill battle, striving to make the world what it could be. By struggling to improve life and liberty, they may temporarily give up some pleasure, putting their own happiness on the back burner. In the long run, though, they have the chance to create a better world. And that—to borrow a turn of phrase from psychologist Brian Little—brings a different kind of satisfaction. Becoming original is not the easiest path in the pursuit of happiness, but it leaves us perfectly poised for the happiness of pursuit." (243)