Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World

For the next two hours, the executives worked in groups, pretending to be one of Merck’s top competitors. Energy soared as they developed ideas for drugs that would crush theirs and key markets they had missed. Then, their challenge was to reverse their roles and figure out how to defend against these threats.*

The goal is to create an idea meritocracy, where the best ideas win. To get the best ideas on the table in the first place, you need radical transparency.

represent diverse viewpoints, and have a reputation both for being sensitive to adverse conditions and for speaking their minds.

Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds.” Albert Einstein

In the decision to speak up, whom we choose as our audience matters as much as how we deliver our message. When we speak up to agreeable audiences, their instinct is to nod and smile. In their effort to be accommodating and avoid conflict, they often shy away from offering critical feedback. Disagreeable managers are more inclined to challenge us,

In light of this evidence, Bryan suggests that we should embrace nouns more thoughtfully. “Don’t Drink and Drive” could be rephrased as: “Don’t Be a Drunk Driver.” The same thinking can be applied to originality. When a child draws a picture,

When we shift our emphasis from behavior to character, people evaluate choices differently. Instead of asking whether this behavior will achieve the results they want, they take action because it is the right thing to do.

To draw an accurate conclusion about cohesion, he needed to compare bad and good decisions, and then determine whether cohesive groups were more likely to fall victim to groupthink.

We often speak of the wisdom of crowds, but we need to be careful about which crowds we’re considering.

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