Growth and progression are built on innovation and originality, and rely on bold thinkers to carry ideas forwards and make a difference. But to make a difference, do individuals have to be different? In Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, Adam Grant, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton business school, sets out to identify the traits that define original thinkers and successful business people, entrepreneurs, artists, innovators and leaders alike. It’s full of ideas. He explores the role of birth order, discusses the merits of procrastination, makes suggestions for productive criticism, and backs it all up with examples from businesses such as Google, Babble and Apple. It stops short of being a manifesto for challenging the status quo, but its effect is the same. Be bold, and be different, and you might just change the world.
I received a free copy via NetGalley.