Rethinking Leadership, Work, and Human Connection in the Age of AI

In this solo episode of The Curiosity Shop, Adam Grant answers questions about leadership, rethinking, careers, AI, and the future of work. He explores how leaders can make people feel heard without adopting every idea, why seeking feedback early can shape a transformational leader, and how to speak up in ways that actually create change. Adam also reflects on a hiring mistake that challenged his own thinking, explains why he’s changed his mind about tradition, and considers why political beliefs are so difficult to rethink. Along the way, he shares his perspective on the jobs most likely to preserve human connection in the age of AI, the benefits and limitations of remote and hybrid work, and how people can reshape and grow beyond their job descriptions. He also takes on a few lighter questions, sharing whether he still practices magic, his favorite food, and what he admires about Tom Brady. Be Careful What You Ask For: How Highly Inclusive Leaders Diminish Upward Communication Quality – John J. Sumanth, 2011, (doctoral dissertation) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Carolina Digital Repository Does Having a Say Matter Only If You Get Your Way? Instrumental and Value-Expressive Effects of Employee Voice – McFarlin, D. B., & Sweeney, P. D., 1996, (journal article) Basic and Applied Social Psychology The Impact of Leader Eye Gaze on Disparity in Member Influence: Implications for Process and Performance in Diverse Groups – Shim, S.-H., et al., 2021, (journal article) Academy of Management Journal Feeling Seen: Leader Eye Gaze Promotes Psychological Safety, Participation, and Voice – Nicole Abi-Esber, Alison Wood Brooks & Ethan Burris, 2022, (working paper) Harvard Business School Working Paper About Katherine Phillips – Columbia Business School, (web page) Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership Rocking the Boat but Keeping It Steady: The Role of Emotion Regulation in Employee Voice – Grant, A. M., 2013, (journal article) Academy of Management Journal Win Over an Opponent by Asking for Advice – Liljenquist, K., & Galinsky, A. D., June 27, 2014, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success – Adam Grant, 2013, (book) Viking I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963, (speech video) Internet Archive Martin Luther King Jr., Man of the Year – TIME, January 3, 1964, (magazine cover story) TIME Early Recording Found of King's 'I Have a Dream' Speech – Montagne, R., August 17, 2015, (radio segment) NPR Morning Edition Feedback Seeking – Susan J. Ashford, (author research page) susanashford.com The Dynamics of Proactivity at Work – Grant, A. M., & Ashford, S. J., 2008, (journal article) Research in Organizational Behavior 28 Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things – Adam Grant, 2023, (book) Viking The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work – Ludmila N. Praslova, 2024, (book) Berrett-Koehler Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage – Austin, R. D., & Pisano, G. P., May–June 2017, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review 95(3) Adam Grant: How Future-Ready Leaders Must Rethink the Work Day – Linda Lacina with Adam Grant, February 28, 2025, (podcast episode) Meet the Leader, World Economic Forum Vibe: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World – Adam Grant, 2026, (book) Viking The Group Polarization Phenomenon – Myers, D. G., & Lamm, H., 1976, (journal article) Psychological Bulletin 83(4) The Law of Group Polarization – Sunstein, C. R., 2002, (preprint of journal article) Journal of Political Philosophy Adam Grant – The Potential of Your Potential – The Imperfects, March 11, 2024, (card trick video) YouTube The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race – Walter Isaacson, 2021, (book) Simon & Schuster What the Return-to-Office Debate Gets Wrong – Brené Brown & Adam Grant, April 30, 2026, (podcast episode video) The Curiosity Shop, YouTube Jennifer A. Doudna – Biographical – The Nobel Prize, 2020, (autobiographical essay) NobelPrize.org Tom Brady Improves 40-Yard Dash Time – NOBULL, September 19, 2024, (video) YouTube Tom Brady on the Art of Leading Teammates – Brady, T., & Nohria, N., September–October 2024, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review Hybrid Working From Home Improves Retention Without Damaging Performance – Bloom, N., Han, R., & Liang, J., 2024, (journal article) Nature What the Data Says About Pandemic School Closures, Four Years Later – Mervosh, S., Miller, C. C., & Paris, F., March 18, 2024, (newspaper article) The New York Times, The Upshot The Consequences of Remote and Hybrid Instruction During the Pandemic – Dan Goldhaber, Thomas J. Kane, Andrew McEachin, Emily Morton, Tyler Patterson & Douglas O. Staiger, 2022, (working paper) CALDER Working Paper Crafting a Job: Revisioning Employees as Active Crafters of Their Work – Wrzesniewski, A., & Dutton, J. E., 2001, (journal article) Academy of Management Review Managing Yourself: Turn the Job You Have Into the Job You Want – Wrzesniewski, A., Berg, J. M., & Dutton, J. E., June 2010, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review 88(6) Job Crafting Exercise – Center for Positive Organizations, University of Michigan Ross School of Business, (tool / web page) positiveorgs.bus.umich.edu Getting Unstuck: The Effects of Growth Mindsets About the Self and Job on Happiness at Work – Berg, J. M., et al., 2023, (journal article) Journal of Applied Psychology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices