What makes someone an original?
Adam Grant, who wrote Give and Take, has a very interesting new book out of how non-conformists change the world. It’s called Originals. As someone who has never quite felt as though he fit in, I think this sounds very interesting.
Grant says that originals – people who can see new ideas and champion them – are the ones who change the world. They are the origin of creativity and change. He wants to know what makes them tick and writes about his research into how patterns of behavior can actually lead to unusual or innovative thoughts. He also gives some ideas for how to develop those capabilities.
To me, this is one of the most important things we can do in business. We need to see and attack problems differently. We also need to help people get out of their comfort zones. Grant’s research on the importance of adopting new behaviors confirms my own beliefs and why I’ve been working to shake things up for my teams and my company for years.