Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World – Adam Grant
Summary: What if the people who change the world are not the fearless, risk-taking visionaries we imagine them to be — but rather ordinary people who simply chose to act on their doubts instead of being paralysed by them? Organisational psychologist Adam Grant turns our assumptions about creativity and originality upside down, showing through compelling research and wonderfully surprising stories that the most impactful originals in history were often riddled with self-doubt, procrastination and fear — just like the rest of us. He explores how great ideas are born, how they survive the brutal gauntlet of scepticism and rejection, and — perhaps most fascinatingly — why the biggest risk is not taking one at all, but rather conforming to a world that rewards the familiar over the genuinely new. Grant also dives deep into the art of championing original ideas within organisations and families, revealing how to build cultures where dissent is not just tolerated but actively encouraged as a driver of progress. By the final page, the reader is left with both a refreshed sense of possibility and a very practical toolkit for nurturing their own originality — and that of the people around them.
Why we like it: Adam Grant has a rare gift for making rigorous research feel like a conversation with a brilliantly curious friend — every chapter surprises, every insight sticks. For anyone working in coaching, leadership or innovation, this book is not just inspiring — it is genuinely useful, which is a combination far rarer than it should be.