Adam Grant
Organizational psychologist | Bestselling author exploring motivation, generosity, and human potential
About
Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist at the Wharton School and bestselling author who explores the science of motivation, generosity, rethinking, and potential. Through his research and speaking, he examines the psychology behind human behavior in the workplace and beyond, investigating everything from what drives original thinking to the dynamics of giving and taking in professional relationships.
Grant's work spans critical areas of human psychology, including the real drivers behind procrastination, the concept of "languishing" and how to move toward flow states, and the importance of rethinking our assumptions. His speaking engagements at major venues like TED2016, TED@IBM 2016, and TEDMonterey 2021 demonstrate his ability to translate complex psychological research into actionable insights for diverse audiences, helping people understand the surprising patterns that govern creativity, motivation, and success.
What Adam Talks About
The psychology of procrastination and overcoming delay tactics
Identifying and developing original thinking patterns
Understanding giver vs. taker dynamics in workplace relationships
Moving from languishing to flow states for peak performance
The science of rethinking and challenging assumptions
Talks10
Rewriting your story with Allison Sweet Grant | ReThinking
Allison Sweet Grant is the author of the debut novel I Am the Cage — and also Adam’s wife. In this special episode, Allison and Adam dive into Allison’s book, inspired by her experience growing up with a congenital limb discrepancy and undergoing a complicated medical procedure at a formative age. They explore the lessons for identity, shame, trust, and agency. They also reflect on what they’ve taught each other about parenting, share practices that have helped them in their marriage, and discuss strategies for managing anxiety and staying grounded. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Join us in person at a TED conference: https://tedtalks.social/events Become a TED Member to support our mission: https://ted.com/membership Subscribe to a TED newsletter: https://ted.com/newsletters Follow TED! X: https://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ted Facebook: https://facebook.com/TED LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ted-conferences TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tedtoks Podcasts: https://www.ted.com/podcasts The TED Audio Collective is a collection of podcasts for the curious. The TED Audio Collective videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organiz...). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com.

The case against personal branding | WorkLife

How to stop languishing and start finding flow
More Talks
Rebuilding Workplace Culture
Rethinking Leadership Assumptions
What frogs in hot water can teach us about thinking again
The real reason you procrastinate
The Daily Show's secret to creativity
Are you a giver or a taker?
The surprising habits of original thinkers
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Frequently Appeared With
Speakers who have appeared at the same events
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
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2 shared events · TED, TEDMonterey
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2 shared events · TED, TEDMonterey
Kevin Rose
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Martin Rees
Astronomer Royal | Wolf Prize Winner Exploring Cosmic Frontiers
2 shared events · TED, TED@BCG
Nir Eyal
Author of 'Hooked' & 'Indistractable' | Habit Formation & Attention Hacking
2 shared events · TED, TED@IBM
Rokia Traore
Malian Singer-Songwriter | Cultural Bridges Through Music
2 shared events · TED, WorkLife with Adam Grant
Steven Johnson
Bestselling Author | Exploring Innovation and Technological Change
2 shared events · TED, TEDMonterey
AJ Jacobs
Author & Journalist | Discovering the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
1 shared event · TED
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