Think Again

“Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
–George Bernard Shaw

I’ve been reading Adam Grant’s new book, Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know. This book is fantastic – truly. I’ve been reading Grant’s work for several years now, and I believe this is his best book yet.

Here are a few of my highlights so far:

• The brighter you are, the harder it can be to see your own limitations. Being good at thinking can make you worse at rethinking.
  
• The purpose of learning isn’t to affirm our beliefs; it’s too evolve our beliefs.
  
• Rethinking starts with intellectual humility.
  
• If knowledge is power, knowing what we don’t know is wisdom.
  
• Learning requires the humility to realize one has something to learn.
  
• A mark of lifelong learners is recognizing that they can learn something from everyone they meet.
  
• “People who are right a lot listen a lot, and they change their mind a lot. If you don’t change your mind frequently, you’re going to be wrong a lot.” –Jeff Bezos
  
• The absence of conflict is not harmony – it’s apathy.

That last one – so true.

I’ve said for nearly 17 years that having a teachable, humble spirit is a non-negotiable must-have for leading at Southview, the church where I serve. Grant’s research in this book is fascinating, and truly explains why this is so important, especially for leaders.

Do you already know it all? This book is not for you. But if you’re looking for your next great read, this is worth your time.