The one skill you need to succeed in your career in a turbulent world - by Adam Grant

The one skill you need to succeed in your career in a turbulent world - by Adam Grant

🎙 Adam Grant 👥 1.1M 📅 April 16, 2026 ⏱ 31 min 👁 16K 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-13
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

rethinkingunlearningleadershipmotivational interviewingbias

Summary

In this interview at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2026, organizational psychologist Adam Grant discusses the importance of rethinking and unlearning in a rapidly changing world. He challenges common assumptions about attention spans, citing a meta-analysis showing no decline in concentration ability, but rather a shift in motivation. He explains the ‘I’m-not-biased’ bias, noting that smarter people are more susceptible to it. Grant shares his background as a diver and magician, using these experiences to illustrate the value of embracing discomfort for growth. He introduces motivational interviewing as a technique to help people find their own reasons for change, exemplified by Daryl Davis’s conversations with white supremacists. He emphasizes the need to complexify thinking to overcome polarization, suggesting questions like ‘What evidence would change your mind?’ to foster productive dialogue. The conversation also touches on the dark triad of personality traits and the importance of character in leadership. Overall, Grant advocates for intellectual humility and curiosity as essential skills for navigating turbulent times.

164 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The video provides valuable insights into cognitive biases, rethinking, and effective communication strategies. Grant’s arguments are well-structured and supported by references to research, such as the meta-analysis on attention spans and the extensive literature on motivational interviewing. He uses compelling examples, like Daryl Davis’s work, to illustrate theoretical points. The argumentation is persuasive, though some claims could benefit from more specific citations. The discussion on the perception gap and binary bias offers practical tools for reducing polarization. Overall, the content is intellectually stimulating and offers actionable advice.

96 words

Title / Content Match

The title is somewhat broad and clickbait-like, but the content does address the skill of rethinking and unlearning as key to success in a turbulent world, which aligns with the title.

Quality & Reliability

8/10

Interview with a recognized organizational psychologist, referencing scientific studies (meta-analysis on attention spans, motivational interviewing research) and books. However, claims are not systematically backed by specific citations within the video, and some statements are presented without detailed evidence.

Key Moments

Cited Sources

Concurring Sources

  • Think Again — Book by Adam Grant that aligns with the video's themes.
  • Factfulness — Book by Hans Rosling that supports the idea of a more optimistic worldview.

External References

Contribution & Novelties

The video offers a compelling synthesis of psychological research on rethinking, unlearning, and effective communication. It provides practical strategies for navigating polarized discussions and emphasizes the importance of intellectual humility. The interview format allows for nuanced exploration of these ideas, making them accessible to a broad audience.

Pour aller plus loin :

83 words

Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores in information quantity, quality, and reliability, with a moderate technical level. This indicates a well-balanced, informative, and credible content, though not highly technical.

Reliability 8/10