Worklife With Adam Grant

Bureaucracy exists to provide consistency and structure, but it often stifles creativity and productivity – and breeds misery. In this episode, Adam investigates why we wind up with stupid rules, how to cut red tape without creating chaos, and what it takes to hack bad policies for a greater good. Available transcripts for WorkLife can be found at go.ted.com/WLtranscripts

Many people don’t use all their paid time off from work — and struggle to relax and recover on nights and weekends too. What does it take to make our breaks more restorative? Adam examines the evidence on recovery and burnout, explores how workplaces can reimagine vacation policies, and highlights what kinds of hobbies are best suited to different times of day. Available transcripts for WorkLife can be found at go.ted.com/WLtranscripts

Meetings often drain our joy and sap our focus – and meeting overload kills productivity. So why do we have so many of them, and is a better world possible? Adam investigates the science of improving meetings and explores how workplaces are fighting meeting bloat. Available transcripts for WorkLife can be found at go.ted.com/WLtranscripts

As a therapist, Nedra Glover Tawwab has spent years helping people set boundaries in their personal and professional lives. As the New York Times bestselling author of the books “Drama Free” and “Set Boundaries, Find Peace,” her wisdom often goes viral on Instagram and beyond. Nedra sits down with Adam for an insightful discussion on why people struggle with creating boundaries, how we can deal with saying “no,” and why setting a boundary is the ultimate act of self-respect. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

As the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, Sal is a pioneer in the education technology space. With millions of users and billions of views, he’s been recognized as one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People,” and now he’s at the forefront of using AI to enrich learning. Sal and Adam have an exciting discussion about the role of AI in the classroom, discuss the opportunities and challenges of designing tools that foster true critical thinking, and share their visions for the future of education.

With his sharp observational comedy and dry wit, Jim Gaffigan has been making people laugh for decades. He’s a stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer who has earned an Emmy award and multiple Grammy nominations. He opens up about his early career shift from marketing to comedy, the art of crafting jokes that land, and the often exasperatingly funny experience of parenting. Jim’s latest special, “Dark Pale,” is now streaming on Amazon. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Chip and Joanna Gaines are best known for their hit reality TV home renovation show “Fixer Upper.” The married couple has delighted audiences by finding charm in unexpected places, and now Chip and Joanna are building their own empire extending from furniture and homewares to a Gaines TV channel. But their greatest achievement has been building a thriving partnership at work and home despite dramatic differences between their personalities. Chip and Joanna talk with Adam about how introverts and extraverts collaborate, the challenges and rewards of doing business together, and the lessons they’ve gleaned from their entrepreneurial journey. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

As they dreamed up iconic characters like Buzz and Woody, Pixar reinvented how animated movies are made. But first, they had to build a culture to make this magic possible. Pixar's co-founder and longtime president Ed Catmull and Oscar-winning Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter talk with Adam about how to spark and sustain creative collaboration. They also reveal the secret to great storytelling, discuss how to maintain and evolve a vision, and reflect on the lessons learned from working closely with the ever-enigmatic Steve Jobs. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Baratunde Thurston is an Emmy-nominated writer, activist and comedian. Whether it’s through his witty and thoughtful work at The Onion or The Daily Show, or via in-depth reflections in a New York Times best-selling book or a hit podcast, Baratunde is adept at addressing complex ideas with compelling stories and serious issues with levity. Baratunde speaks with Adam about the evolution of his communication style, shares ideas on what kind of storytelling actually moves the needle for an audience, and discusses the surprising ways in which he’s rethinking his approach to AI. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Award-winning researcher and pioneering psychologist Brian Little has plenty of accomplishments under his belt. He’s the author of the bestselling books “Me, Myself, and Us” and “Who Are You, Really?” His TED Talk on the science of personality has tens of millions of views and he’s been elected a Favorite Professor multiple times at Harvard. And he’s also Adam’s favorite psychologist – and personal mentor. Brian and Adam talk about how our personal projects shape our well-being, the nuances of introversion and extraversion, when it makes sense to act out of character, and what our daily pursuits reveal about us. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Margot Lee Shetterly used to be an investment banker, a business owner, and a content marketing and editorial consultant. Now she’s the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller “Hidden Figures,” which chronicles the challenges and contributions of the Black women who worked at NASA from the 1930s through the 1960s. Margot and Adam talk about the process of finding and researching the story behind “Hidden Figures,” how to navigate career transitions, and why reframing familiar tales creates more complex and compelling narratives. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

As a blogger and executive coach, James Clear spent years studying how to form and change habits. His research culminated in the book "Atomic Habits”, which has sold more than 15 million copies and been translated into over 50 languages. James speaks with Adam about changing our systems for achieving goals, building habits around identities as well as actions, and accumulating small wins that add up to big change. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

When Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya first arrived in the U.S., he had little money and no big plans. But combine his childhood growing up in a nomadic dairy-farming Kurdish family, some college-level business courses, and a lot of spunk, and his winding trajectory is a unique story of an entrepreneur finding his north star. Today, Adam asks Hamdi about his “anti-CEO playbook” and the business philosophies he leads with, which aim to prioritize people over profit. Hamdi also shares the work he is doing with refugees around the world, and why he invests in projects with adaptable plans and resilient people. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Before Agnes Callard was a philosophy professor at the University of Chicago, she was on her high school debate team — and she still loves to debate anything and everything. Her work regularly appears in major outlets such as The New York Times, and she was recently profiled in The New Yorker for her radical openness to rethinking her life. Agnes and Adam discuss the difference between ambition and aspiration, the art of thought-provoking conversations, and whether listening or arguing helps you do your best thinking. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

When John Mackey co-founded Whole Foods, he didn't consider himself an entrepreneur. But after 42 years of leading the company – and spearheading its sale to Amazon – Mackey has proven that a business with purpose can succeed and scale. John speaks with Adam at an Authors@Wharton live event about his Whole Foods journey, from living in his first store to selling the company. They discuss the pros and cons of 5-year plans, strategies for staying flexible and adaptable, and the role of passion in a career. This conversation was recorded live at Authors@Wharton. The transcript for this episode is available at go.ted.com/rethinkingmackey Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

Admiral Linda Fagan is the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard – and the first woman to ever lead a branch of the U.S. military. She speaks with Adam about facing impostor syndrome and breaking glass ceilings, spearheading a bold vision for change in the military, and why she believes good leadership requires confidence and humility. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts.

WorkLife will be back for Season 6 in September. Until then, check out this preview of Fixable, a new work call-in podcast from the TED Audio Collective. Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei and her wife, CEO and bestselling author Anne Morriss, host unfiltered conversations to help solve everyday organizational challenges—big and small. If you want to be on Fixable, email fixable@ted.com or call our hotline at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253) to leave Anne and Frances a voicemail with your workplace problem. You can listen to Fixable wherever you're listening to this.

Brené Brown and Simon Sinek are two of the world's most influential thought leaders. They’ve shared their insights on the power of vulnerability and purpose in viral TED talks, hit podcasts, and bestselling books. Adam invites Brené and Simon to a lively discussion about the most important skills for leaders to build -- and the most vital steps for organizations to put people first. Together, they also field audience questions on earning trust, giving upward feedback, and creating better leadership opportunities for the next generation. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts.

Six-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer Joe Dumars spent 14 years with the Detroit Pistons. As the quiet leader of multiple championship teams, he guarded Michael Jordan –who said he did it better than anyone else– and helped keep teammates like Dennis Rodman focused. Although it was the “Bad Boys” era, Joe was the first-ever recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award, which is now named after him. After playing hard – and fair – Joe went on to spend another 14 years as the Pistons’ president of basketball operations, and is now a top executive in the NBA. Joe speaks with Adam about his leadership style both on and off the court, and shares the wisdom he’s learned about managing all kinds of people – and making teams better. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts.

Ginni Rometty rose through the ranks at IBM to become their first female CEO. After leading the iconic tech company from 2012 to 2020, Ginni chronicled the experiences and lessons learned in her memoir, “Good Power.” In a candid conversation at the Authors@Wharton series, Ginni talks with Adam about cultivating and harnessing influence, leading change through highlighting what will stay the same, and her cautious optimism about the future of AI. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts.