ORIGINALS BY ADAM GRANT

Key Concepts

• The Power of Procrastination (Strategic Procrastination): Contrary to popular belief, originals often procrastinate strategically. Allowing an idea to incubate in the back of the mind after initial brainstorming can lead to more creative solutions than rushing to completion.
• First-Mover Disadvantage (Wu-Wei): Being the absolute first to market with an idea is often a disadvantage because you do all the costly pioneering work for competitors to copy easily. It is often better to be a "second-mover" or a "fast follower," observing the pioneers' mistakes and refining their ideas.
• Vulnerability in Pitching Ideas: Originals are better at persuading others not by selling the benefits of their idea exclusively, but by highlighting its flaws and risks. Acknowledging vulnerability builds trust and makes the audience more receptive to the idea's strengths.
• Managing Fear and Doubt: Originals experience fear and doubt (self-doubt about ideas, fear of failure), but they use them differently. They focus on the action they regret taking versus inaction (regretting not trying something at all), which is a powerful motivator.
• Psychological Safety (Building Cultures of Dissent): Leaders who want original ideas must create environments where employees feel safe to voice dissenting opinions without fear of retribution. This involves making dissent the norm, not the exception.
• Valuing an "Enlarged Canvas": Originals often excel by taking established ideas from one context and successfully applying them to a completely different domain or industry, using existing frameworks in novel ways.