Adam Grant Quotes

If we want a better original idea, we must generate our own before we screen others’ suggestions.

Negative relationships are unpleasant but predictable.

People tend to have one of three ‘styles’ of interaction. There are takers, who are always trying to serve themselves; matchers, who are always trying to get equal benefit for themselves and others; and givers, who are always trying to help people.

This is what I find most magnetic about successful givers: they get to the top without cutting others down, finding ways of expanding the pie that benefit themselves and the people around them. Whereas success is zero-sum in a group of takers, in groups of givers, it may be true that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Focus attention and energy on making a difference in the lives of others, and success might follow as a by-product.

Procrastinate strategically… Procrastination may be the enemy of productivity but it can be a valuable resource for creativity.

The most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed.

Dissenting opinions are useful even when they’re wrong. So instead of speaking to highly agreeable audiences, target suggestions to people with a history of originality.

The more I help out, the more successful I become. But I measure success in what it has done for the people around me. That is the real accolade.

Enemies make better allies than frenemies.

When you put off a task, you buy yourself time to engage in divergent thinking rather than foreclosing on one particular idea.

Most people believe that great leaders are distinguished by their ability to give compelling answers. This profound book shatters that assumption, showing that the more vital skill is asking the right questions…. Berger poses many fascinating questions, including this one: What if companies had mission questions rather than mission statements? This is a book everyone ought to read—without question.