So here I am posing for a pic with Adam Grant but if the body language is anything to go by, I don’t think I should be bragging. I considered drawing a little speech bubble from Adam that says “Help, I’m trapped!” But hey, credit where it’s due. Given his self-description—a jet-lagged, introverted, anxious, academic, sci-fi nerd masquerading as a celebrity—he nailed it! 

And me? The human embodiment of the heart-eyed emoji.

Massive congrats to Dr. Órla NicDomhnaill and Thrive Advisory for the vision and determination to bring over 170 clients, partners, and associates together recently to hear Adam’s treasure trove of psychologically informed gems to uncover the hidden potential in ourselves and others.

Favourite moment?
When Adam himself fan-boy’d Dr. Órla over her latest industry ‘white paper’. (That he’d even read it was impressive enough, but his admiration of its insights live on stage over lunch was a well-deserved coup).

Here are my notes on Adam’s key themes and my personal Top 10 takeaways: 

1. Focus on the “second score” – how you respond to not being as successful as you would have liked at something is what unlocks growth.
2. Put your growth above your ego i.e. don’t get defensive –> the measure of which is sincerely FEELING that all feedback is indeed a gift and you no longer think this a ridiculous notion. I.e., regardless of whether it’s what you’ve always wanted but never knew you needed, functional but unexciting, or something you definitely know is just clutter, you’re excited and curious just to get it.
3. Avoid giving or seeking comforting lies/half-truths. Clear is kind. Fudged is not what we give people we care about.
4. The negative impact of “takers” is 2-3x more than the positive impact of “givers”, so design out one-way taking behaviours, using ‘reciprocity rings’.
5. It’s important to be generous “givers” of help… AND to be courageous “takers” in asking for what we need.
6. Normalizing (not “celebrating”) failure is more achievable and effective: move from a culture of prosecution to a culture of learning.
7. Ensure accountability for processes not just outcomes.
8. If multiple people believe in you, it’s time to believe in them – but don’t over-index towards one person, look for the patterns.
9. Without enjoyment potential stays hidden.

My last observation?
   10. Holly Ransom was a force of energy, smarts and warmth as emcee and thought leader in her own right. Bravo