482: Adam Grant | The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

Leadership

Leadership competencies are crucial for effective management, and Adam Grant highlights a study by Zenger and Folkman that reveals women often outperform men in this area. This study, which involved a 360-degree review of leaders, found that women scored higher than men on 17 out of 19 leadership competencies. Adam suggests that this may be because women have had to excel to overcome biases and reach leadership roles.

Women have had to be on average that much better to get into those roles.

--- Adam Grant

Jordan Harbinger shares a personal anecdote about the additional pressures faced by underrepresented groups, illustrating the systemic challenges they encounter 1.

   

Humility

Confident humility is a concept that Adam Grant champions, emphasizing the balance between confidence in one's abilities and the humility to question one's methods. He argues that arrogance stems from a mix of ignorance and conviction, and that true growth comes from being open to new information and perspectives.

We laugh at people who use Windows 95, but we hold so strongly to opinions that we formed in 1995.

--- Adam Grant

Jordan Harbinger notes that this mindset is essential for adapting to the rapidly changing world, where clinging to outdated beliefs can hinder progress 2.