In this episode, Andy Kaufman celebrates the 400th episode of the People in Projects Podcast with special guest Adam Grant. They discuss Adam’s new book, Hidden Potential, and the importance of assessing and unlocking potential in individuals.

The conversation covers various topics, including keeping projects on track, the truth about hiring based on experience, a lesson Adam learned about feedback that he’s a terrible writer, and overcoming criticism. Adam reflects on the past and future, including what he misses (and doesn’t miss) about being Adam Grant in 2010 (when Andy and Adam first talked). 

Takeaways

  • Assessing and unlocking potential is crucial in various aspects of life, and the judgments people make of our potential can have a significant impact.
  • Perfectionism can hinder progress, and it is important to separate our identity from our work.
  • The value of experience in hiring is often overestimated, and potential should be prioritized over years of experience.
  • Saying no and setting boundaries is essential to avoid overcommitment and maintain focus on important projects.
  • Even if initially difficult, receiving feedback can lead to valuable insights and improvements.
  • A practical AI chatbot use case that Adam tries
  • Expressing appreciation to those who have seen and nurtured our potential is important, and we should also assess the potential of others and encourage their growth.

You can learn more about Adam and his book at AdamGrant.net.

For More on This Topic

To catch Andy’s previous conversations with Adam, check out:

  • Episode 31, where we talk about leading teams with meaning, and
  • Episode 93, where we talk about his book Give and Take

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Celebration
02:50 Start of the Interview
03:12 What are You Glad is Getting Attention / Thought Would Get More Attention in Your Book
03:52 Lessons on Keeping Projects on Track
04:46 Something People Think Is True But Is Not Supported With Evidence
05:45 How Adam Decides on Saying Yes or No
06:16 How Does Adam Calm Nerves
07:27 You Suck at Writing, Adam! How to Receive Feedback and Overcome Criticism
08:37 What Adam Recently Used a Chatbot For
09:26 What Does Adam Miss About Being Him in 2010 / Not Miss
10:26 What Would You Ask Future Adam?
11:39 Adam Takes Over as the Host
12:50 Adam Asks About Podcasting
14:07 Adam Says Nice Things About Andy
16:04 Andy Comments after the Interview
20:19 Outtakes from Before The Interview Started
21:32 Sample Intro from Episode 1 (Man, it was bad!)

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Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!

Talent Triangle: Power Skills

Topics: Project Management, Leadership, Organizational Psychology, Hiring, Artificial Intelligence, Personal Growth, Perfectionism

The following music was used for this episode:

Music: Celebrate Your Wins [Full version] by MusicLFiles
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10381-celebrate-your-wins-full-version
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Funky Life by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6040-funky-life
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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