The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant

In the final episode of The Curiosity Shop, Brené Brown and Adam Grant draw on Adam’s new book, Vibe (out October 13), to explore how recognizing the differences between associates, allies, pals, and companions can help us better understand our connections. They unpack the pressure we put on relationships, the importance of being clear about what we want from them, and why a great interaction doesn’t always need to become an ongoing relationship. They also explore the idea of being on the same wavelength and the concept of “sonder,” the recognition that we can never fully know another person’s inner world. Along the way, Brené and Adam reflect on their own relationship, what they’ve learned from working together, and how their connection has evolved throughout The Curiosity Shop.

Vibe – Adam Grant, 2026, adamgrant.net

Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World – Anne-Laure Le Cunff, 2025, Ness Labs

How the Enneagram System Works – The Enneagram Institute, enneagraminstitute.com

Give and Take – Adam Grant, 2013, adamgrant.net

Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community – Vivek Murthy, 2023, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Social Connection Linked to Improved Health and Reduced Risk of Early Death – World Health Organization, 2025, World Health Organization

US Trends in Social Isolation, Social Engagement, and Companionship—Nationally and by Age, Sex, Race/Ethnicity, Family Income, and Work Hours, 2003–2020 – Viji Diane Kannan, 2023, SSM – Population Health

Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions – Common Sense Media, 2025, Common Sense Media

What I Got Wrong About Connection – Adam Grant, 2026, Granted (Substack)

How I Overcame the Fear of Public Speaking – Adam Grant, 2014, Psychology Today

A Practical Guide to Building Taxonomies That Make Data Truly Useful to Your Organization – UserTesting, 2023, UserTesting Blog

The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck, 1939, Penguin Random House

Friends – David Crane, 1994, NBC (IMDb)

Vibe Quiz – Adam Grant, adamgrant.net

DTR – Dictionary.com, 2018, Dictionary.com

Vulnerability Is the Birthplace of Innovation, Creativity and Change: Brené Brown at TED2012 – Helen Walters, 2012, TED Blog

Nicomachean Ethics, Book VIII – Aristotle, c. 350 BCE, The Internet Classics Archive (MIT)

Friendship – Bennett Helm, 2021, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

The Anatomy of Friendship – Robin Dunbar, 2018, Trends in Cognitive Sciences

Let's Rumble – Brené Brown, 2019, brenebrown.com

Similar Neural Responses Predict Friendship – Carolyn Parkinson, 2018, Nature Communications

Single-Serving Friends (Fight Club) – Uploader unknown, YouTube

Wharton Professor Adam Grant Knows How to Build Stronger Bonds at Work – Aman Kidwai, 2025, Newsweek

Mistakenly Seeking Solitude – Nicholas Epley, 2014, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General

Social Interactions and Well-Being: The Surprising Power of Weak Ties – Gillian Sandstrom, 2014, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

Learning to Talk to Strangers – Gillian Sandstrom, 2022, SPSP Character & Context blog

The Power of High-Quality Connections – Jane Dutton, 2003, Positive Organizational Scholarship (Berrett-Koehler)

Flow and Happiness – Joachim Krueger, 2015, Psychology Today

Basking in Reflected Glory: Three (Football) Field Studies – Robert Cialdini, 1976, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Brené and Adam on What They Will Never Agree On – Brené Brown, 2026, The Curiosity Shop (YoutTube)

Do Parasocial Relationships Fill a Loneliness Gap? – Heidi Godman, 2024, Harvard Health Publishing

Sonder – John Koenig, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

Beautiful New Words to Describe Obscure Emotions – John Koenig, 2016, TEDxBerkeley

Atlas of the Heart – Brené Brown, 2021, brenebrown.com

Sonder Playlist - The Best of Sonder – Revive Music, YouTube

Awe, the Small Self, and Prosocial Behavior – Paul Piff, 2015, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

The Emotions You've Felt but Never Named with John Koenig – Adam Grant, 2025, ReThinking (Apple Podcasts)

The Emotions You've Felt but Never Named with John Koenig (transcript) – Adam Grant, 2025, ReThinking (TED Audio Collective)

Developmental Changes in the Relation between Youth Disclosure and Parenting Behavior: A Cohort-sequential Analysis – Sara Goldstein, 2023, Journal of Youth and Adolescence

The Development of Children's Knowledge About Inner Speech – John Flavell, 1997, Child Development

9 Words for Types of Parenting – Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster Wordplay

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters – Priya Parker, 2018, Riverhead / Penguin Random House

The Liking Gap in Conversations: Do People Like Us More Than We Think? – Erica Boothby, 2018, Psychological Science

Can Conflict Actually Make Our Relationships Stronger? with Priya Parker (video) – Brené Brown, 2026, YouTube

VIBE Tour – Adam Grant, adamgrant.net

Adam Grant – Dallas – Dallas Museum of Art Arts & Letters Live – Etix, 2026, Etix

ReThinking with Adam Grant – Adam Grant, 2021, TED Audio Collective

The Enneagram: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Directions for Future Research – Joshua Hook, 2021, Journal of Clinical Psychology

Brian R. Little – Brian Little, brianrlittle.com

Nicomachean Ethics, Book VIII – Aristotle, c. 350 BCE, The Internet Classics Archive (MIT)
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Why are we so susceptible to persuasion? In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, Brené Brown and Adam Grant discuss a tip Brené picked up from Seventeen magazine in the ‘80s and end up exploring why we fall for misinformation and persuasive messaging. They examine how vulnerability makes us more receptive to fear-based messaging, how appeals to authority can sometimes stand in for real evidence, and why recognizing misinformation isn’t always enough to protect us from it. Brené and Adam also consider the role of belonging, including the ways our desire for connection, community, and shared identity can make certain ideas especially persuasive. Along the way, they develop a practical framework for resisting unwanted influence: recognize your vulnerability, build your persuasion literacy, and trace information back to its source.

Vibe: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World - Adam Grant, 2026, Viking

MythBusters: Rinsing Your Hair In Cold Water - Into The Gloss, 2015

I Washed My Hair With Coca-Cola (and Other Teen-Magazine Beauty Experiments) - Seventeen

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die - Chip Heath & Dan Heath, 2007, Random House

Free Resources, including 'Making Presentations That Stick' - Chip Heath & Dan Heath, HeathBrothers.com

Jayne Modean - Wikipedia contributors, Wikipedia

Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline, 800-272-3900 - Alzheimer's Association

Dr. Cialdini's Biography - Influence at Work

Dispelling the Illusion of Invulnerability: The Motivations and Mechanisms of Resistance to Persuasion - Stanford Center on Longevity, 2011

Resistance to Persuasion - Dolores Albarracín & A. Karan, 2022, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology

Dr. Jessica Knurick - Jessica Knurick

Jessica Knurick's Reaction Video - Jessica Knurick, Facebook

A Public Health Expert Keeps Going Viral on Instagram for Delivering This Very Simple Message - Scott, 2025, Vox

What's the Difference Between Physicians and Naturopaths? - American Medical Association, 2024

Appeal to Authority Fallacy: When Expertise Becomes a Logical Trap - Logically Fallacious, 2026

Evidence-Based Practice: Levels of Evidence - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Library

Evidence-Based Management - Jeffrey Pfeffer & Robert Sutton, 2006, Harvard Business Review

White House Moves to Take Control of NIH Scientific Grants - The New York Times, 2026, The Philadelphia Inquirer

'Warning: This Image Has Been Digitally Altered': The Effect of Disclaimer Labels Added to Fashion Magazine Shoots on Women's Body Dissatisfaction - Marika Tiggemann, Zoe Brown, Mia Zaccardo & Nicole Thomas, 2017, Body Image

The Sleeper Effect in Persuasion: A Meta-Analytic Review - G. Tarcan Kumkale & Dolores Albarracín, 2004, Psychological Bulletin

The Mirror-Neuron System - Giacomo Rizzolatti & Laila Craighero, 2004, Annual Review of Neuroscience

Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis - Brooke Nickel and colleagues, 2025, JAMA Network Open

We Analysed Almost 1,000 Social Media Posts About 5 Popular Medical Tests. Most Were Utterly Misleading - Nickel & Moynihan, 2025, The Conversation

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini, 2021; first published 1984, Harper Business

The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time - Maria Konnikova, 2016, Viking

How to Know If You're Being Lied To - Khazan, 2016, The Atlantic

Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments - Justin Kruger & David Dunning, 1999, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Recursive Self-Improvement and Agentic AI: Fear of the AI Singularity - HackerNoon, 2026

How Do AI Companies 'Fine-Tune' Policy? Examining Regulatory Capture in AI Governance - Kevin Wei, Carson Ezell, Nick Gabrieli & Chinmay Deshpande, 2024, AIES-24 Proceedings

George J. Stigler, 'The Theory of Economic Regulation' - Christopher Carrigan & Cary Coglianese, 2015, Oxford Handbook of Classics in Public Policy and Administration

The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories - Karen Douglas, Robbie Sutton & Aleksandra Cichocka, 2017, Current Directions in Psychological Science

Powerful Pharma and Its Marginalized Alternatives? Effects of Individual Differences in Conspiracy Mentality on Attitudes Toward Medical Approaches - Pia Lamberty & Roland Imhoff, 2018, Social Psychology

People with a Conspiracy Mindset Resist Childhood Vaccination, Study Shows - Annenberg Public Policy Center, 2023

COVID-19 Misinformation: Scientists Create a 'Psychological Vaccine' to Protect Against Fake News - van der Linden & Roozenbeek, 2021, The Conversation

LinkedIn Post on Collective Vulnerability - Brené Brown, 2020, LinkedIn

Brené on FFTs - Brené Brown, 2020, Unlocking Us

The Group Polarization Phenomenon - David Myers & Helmut Lamm, 1976, Psychological Bulletin

Group Polarization - EBSCO Research Starters

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone - Brené Brown, 2017, Random House

Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity - Sander van der Linden, 2023, W. W. Norton

How 'Prebunking' Misinformation Works - CBS News / 60 Minutes, YouTube

Bad News - Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab, (Game that teaches manipulation tactics)

Lump: A Memoir in Ineloquent Reflections - Allison Sweet Grant, 2026, Little, Brown and Company

National Breast Cancer Foundation - National Breast Cancer Foundation

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What if grit isn’t the whole story behind success? Psychologist and author Angela Duckworth joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant to talk about her new book, Situated, and how the situations around us influence our behavior, motivation, creativity, and success. They unpack situational awareness, the paradox of self-control, and why willpower can be an unreliable tool for change. Angela also shares practical ways to shape your environment, reduce friction around your goals, and decide whether to keep going versus change course. Together, they explore how becoming more intentional about our surroundings, relationships, and support systems is often more powerful than simply trying harder.

Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best - Angela Duckworth, 2026, Scribner (author's book page)

Situated Preface (excerpt) - Angela Duckworth, 2026, web excerpt with audiobook sample, angeladuckworth.com

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance - Angela Duckworth, 2016, Scribner

Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals - Angela Duckworth, Christopher Peterson, Michael Matthews & Dennis Kelly, 2007, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Too Much of a Good Thing: The Challenge and Opportunity of the Inverted U - Adam Grant & Barry Schwartz, 2011, Perspectives on Psychological Science

Situational Strategies for Self-Control - Angela Duckworth, Tamar Szabó Gendler & James Gross, 2016, Perspectives on Psychological Science

Beyond Willpower: Strategies for Reducing Failures of Self-Control - Angela Duckworth, Katherine Milkman & David Laibson, 2018, Psychological Science in the Public Interest

Oxford Essential Quotations (George Bernard Shaw entry) - Susan Ratcliffe (ed.), 2018, reference-work entry, Oxford Reference / Oxford University Press

Maxims for Revolutionists - George Bernard Shaw, 1903; Project Gutenberg edition 2008, public-domain e-text, Project Gutenberg

Figure This: Deciding What's Figure, What's Ground - Adelson, 2002, Monitor on Psychology (American Psychological Association)

LinkedIn post on situations - Angela Duckworth, 2025, social-media post, LinkedIn

The Four Essential Elements of Successful Situations - Duckworth, 2026, book excerpt (online article), Knowledge at Wharton

Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit - Brené Brown, 2025, Random House

Angela Duckworth on Her New Book, ‘Grit’ Controversy, and Parenting in a Digital Age - Fiorillo, 2026, Philadelphia Magazine

Rethinking Rumination - Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, Blair Wisco & Sonja Lyubomirsky, 2008, Perspectives on Psychological Science

Self-Focused Attention and Negative Affect: A Meta-Analysis - Nilly Mor & Jennifer Winquist, 2002, Psychological Bulletin

Situated Scorecard - Angela Duckworth, 2026, interactive self-assessment (web page), angeladuckworth.com

Situated Scorecard Handout - Angela Duckworth, 2026, PDF handout, angeladuckworth.com

Self-Control and SAT Outcomes: Evidence from Two National Field Studies - Chayce Baldwin, Kyla Haimovitz, Priya Shankar, Robert Gallop, David Yeager, James Gross & Angela Duckworth, 2022, PLOS ONE

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - Robert Cialdini, 2021; first published 1984, Harper Business (author's organization site)

As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 7 - William Shakespeare, c. 1599, Folger Shakespeare Library

More Than Resisting Temptation: Beneficial Habits Mediate the Relationship Between Self-Control and Positive Life Outcomes - Brian Galla & Angela Duckworth, 2015, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Wendy Wood – Publications - Wendy Wood, faculty web page, USC Dornsife

Habits in Everyday Life: Thought, Emotion, and Action - Wendy Wood, Jeffrey Quinn & Deborah Kashy, 2002, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Asaf Mazar - Asaf Mazar, personal website

Alistair Brownlee | The Greatest to Ever Do It - World Triathlon, 2024, video, YouTube

The Paradox of a Pair of Clocks. The Magic of Chronos and Kairos or Why I Wear Two Watches! - Brené Brown, 2026, social-media post (from an AMA), LinkedIn / The Curiosity Shop

Quote Origin: Between Stimulus and Response There Is a Space. In That Space Is Our Power To Choose Our Response - O'Toole, 2018, Quote Investigator

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment - Eckhart Tolle, 1997, Namaste Publishing / New World Library (author site)

32% of Americans Have a Tattoo, Including 22% Who Have More Than One - Schaeffer & Dinesh, 2023, short-read survey report, Pew Research Center

Prepared Environment - Association Montessori Internationale, glossary entry, AMI glossary

Understanding the Three-Year Cycle in Montessori - Maria Rodriguez, web article, The Montessori Foundation

Piagetian Theory - American Psychological Association, dictionary entry, APA Dictionary of Psychology

For the Fun of It: Harnessing Immediate Rewards to Increase Persistence in Long-Term Goals - Kaitlin Woolley & Ayelet Fishbach, 2016, Journal of Consumer Research

Mask-Wearing Needs to Be Easy, Understood and Expected - Duckworth, Ungar & Emanuel, 2020, op-ed reprint, Penn Almanac (original in The New York Times)

Everyday Temptations: An Experience Sampling Study of Desire, Conflict, and Self-Control - Wilhelm Hofmann, Roy Baumeister, Georg Förster & Kathleen Vohs, 2012, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Trait Self-Control and the Avoidance of Temptation - Michael Ent, Roy Baumeister & Dianne Tice, 2015, Personality and Individual Differences

More Than Resisting Temptation: Beneficial Habits Mediate the Relationship Between Self-Control and Positive Life Outcomes - Brian Galla & Angela Duckworth, 2015, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

The Myth of Self-Control - Resnick, 2016, Vox

The Power of Vulnerability - Brené Brown, 2010, TED Talk (video), TEDxHouston / TED

Beyond Grit: The Science of Creativity, Purpose, and Motivation - Grant & Duckworth, 2016, published conversation, Next Big Idea Club Magazine

Knee-Deep in the Big Muddy: A Study of Escalating Commitment to a Chosen Course of Action - Barry Staw, 1976, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance

Hope (Psychology) - EBSCO, encyclopedia-style research overview, EBSCO Research Starters

'Grit' and Circumstance: Bestselling Author Angela Duckworth Brings Her Wisdom to BYU - Walch, 2023, Deseret News

The Four Essential Elements of Successful Situations - Duckworth, 2026, book excerpt (online article), Knowledge at Wharton

Workspace Disorder Does Not Influence Creativity and Executive Functions - Alberto Manzi, Yana Durmysheva, Shannon Pinegar, Andrew Rogers & Justine Ramos, 2019, Frontiers in Psychology

A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder - Eric Abrahamson & David Freedman, 2007, Little, Brown (Goodreads listing)

Physical Order Produces Healthy Choices, Generosity, and Conventionality, Whereas Disorder Produces Creativity - Kathleen Vohs, Joseph Redden & Ryan Rahinel, 2013, Psychological Science

Documenting Anne Lamott - SFGate / San Francisco Chronicle (no byline), SFGate

Genius of the AND - Jim Collins, concept page (with excerpts from Built to Last), JimCollins.com

Self-Control and Grit: Related but Separable Determinants of Success - Angela Duckworth & James Gross, 2014, Current Directions in Psychological Science

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Short Grit Scale - Oscar Gonzalez, Jessica Canning, Heather Smyth & David MacKinnon, 2020, European Journal of Psychological Assessment

In 'Situated,' Angela Duckworth, the Author of 'Grit,' Does an About-Face - O'Gieblyn, 2026, The New Yorker

How Willpower Wasn't: The Truth About Ego Depletion - Danvers, 2020, blog post ('How Do You Know?'), Psychology Today

A Multisite Preregistered Paradigmatic Test of the Ego-Depletion Effect - Kathleen Vohs and colleagues, 2021, Psychological Science

The Impact of Sleep Interventions on Athletic Performance: A Systematic Review - Lúcio Cunha and colleagues, 2023, Sports Medicine – Open

The Attentional Cost of Receiving a Cell Phone Notification - Cary Stothart, Ainsley Mitchum & Courtney Yehnert, 2015, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance

Wear Eye Protection When Playing Pickleball - Reena Mukamal, patient-education web article, American Academy of Ophthalmology

Breaking Up with Perfectionism - Adam Grant with Eric Best, 2022, podcast episode, WorkLife with Adam Grant / TED Audio Collective

Adam Grant on How to Reach New Heights - Wharton Magazine (no byline), 2023, Wharton Magazine

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things - Adam Grant, 2023, Viking (Penguin Random House page)
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In this solo episode of The Curiosity Shop, Adam Grant answers questions about leadership, rethinking, careers, AI, and the future of work. He explores how leaders can make people feel heard without adopting every idea, why seeking feedback early can shape a transformational leader, and how to speak up in ways that actually create change. Adam also reflects on a hiring mistake that challenged his own thinking, explains why he’s changed his mind about tradition, and considers why political beliefs are so difficult to rethink. Along the way, he shares his perspective on the jobs most likely to preserve human connection in the age of AI, the benefits and limitations of remote and hybrid work, and how people can reshape and grow beyond their job descriptions. He also takes on a few lighter questions, sharing whether he still practices magic, his favorite food, and what he admires about Tom Brady.

Be Careful What You Ask For: How Highly Inclusive Leaders Diminish Upward Communication Quality – John J. Sumanth, 2011, (doctoral dissertation) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Carolina Digital Repository

Does Having a Say Matter Only If You Get Your Way? Instrumental and Value-Expressive Effects of Employee Voice – McFarlin, D. B., & Sweeney, P. D., 1996, (journal article) Basic and Applied Social Psychology

The Impact of Leader Eye Gaze on Disparity in Member Influence: Implications for Process and Performance in Diverse Groups – Shim, S.-H., et al., 2021, (journal article) Academy of Management Journal

Feeling Seen: Leader Eye Gaze Promotes Psychological Safety, Participation, and Voice – Nicole Abi-Esber, Alison Wood Brooks & Ethan Burris, 2022, (working paper) Harvard Business School Working Paper

About Katherine Phillips – Columbia Business School, (web page) Phillips Pathway for Inclusive Leadership

Rocking the Boat but Keeping It Steady: The Role of Emotion Regulation in Employee Voice – Grant, A. M., 2013, (journal article) Academy of Management Journal

Win Over an Opponent by Asking for Advice – Liljenquist, K., & Galinsky, A. D., June 27, 2014, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review

Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success – Adam Grant, 2013, (book) Viking

I Have a Dream – Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963, (speech video) Internet Archive

Martin Luther King Jr., Man of the Year – TIME, January 3, 1964, (magazine cover story) TIME

Early Recording Found of King's 'I Have a Dream' Speech – Montagne, R., August 17, 2015, (radio segment) NPR Morning Edition

Feedback Seeking – Susan J. Ashford, (author research page) susanashford.com

The Dynamics of Proactivity at Work – Grant, A. M., & Ashford, S. J., 2008, (journal article) Research in Organizational Behavior 28

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things – Adam Grant, 2023, (book) Viking

The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work – Ludmila N. Praslova, 2024, (book) Berrett-Koehler

Neurodiversity as a Competitive Advantage – Austin, R. D., & Pisano, G. P., May–June 2017, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review 95(3)

Adam Grant: How Future-Ready Leaders Must Rethink the Work Day – Linda Lacina with Adam Grant, February 28, 2025, (podcast episode) Meet the Leader, World Economic Forum

Vibe: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World – Adam Grant, 2026, (book) Viking

The Group Polarization Phenomenon – Myers, D. G., & Lamm, H., 1976, (journal article) Psychological Bulletin 83(4)

The Law of Group Polarization – Sunstein, C. R., 2002, (preprint of journal article) Journal of Political Philosophy

Adam Grant – The Potential of Your Potential – The Imperfects, March 11, 2024, (card trick video) YouTube

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race – Walter Isaacson, 2021, (book) Simon & Schuster

What the Return-to-Office Debate Gets Wrong – Brené Brown & Adam Grant, April 30, 2026, (podcast episode video) The Curiosity Shop, YouTube

Jennifer A. Doudna – Biographical – The Nobel Prize, 2020, (autobiographical essay) NobelPrize.org

Tom Brady Improves 40-Yard Dash Time – NOBULL, September 19, 2024, (video) YouTube

Tom Brady on the Art of Leading Teammates – Brady, T., & Nohria, N., September–October 2024, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review

Hybrid Working From Home Improves Retention Without Damaging Performance – Bloom, N., Han, R., & Liang, J., 2024, (journal article) Nature

What the Data Says About Pandemic School Closures, Four Years Later – Mervosh, S., Miller, C. C., & Paris, F., March 18, 2024, (newspaper article) The New York Times, The Upshot

The Consequences of Remote and Hybrid Instruction During the Pandemic – Dan Goldhaber, Thomas J. Kane, Andrew McEachin, Emily Morton, Tyler Patterson & Douglas O. Staiger, 2022, (working paper) CALDER Working Paper

Crafting a Job: Revisioning Employees as Active Crafters of Their Work – Wrzesniewski, A., & Dutton, J. E., 2001, (journal article) Academy of Management Review

Managing Yourself: Turn the Job You Have Into the Job You Want – Wrzesniewski, A., Berg, J. M., & Dutton, J. E., June 2010, (magazine article) Harvard Business Review 88(6)

Job Crafting Exercise – Center for Positive Organizations, University of Michigan Ross School of Business, (tool / web page) positiveorgs.bus.umich.edu

Getting Unstuck: The Effects of Growth Mindsets About the Self and Job on Happiness at Work – Berg, J. M., et al., 2023, (journal article) Journal of Applied Psychology
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Does conflict really have the power to bring us closer together? In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, facilitator and author Priya Parker joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant to rethink how we approach conflict. Drawing from her new book, The Art of Fighting, Priya explores why avoiding conflict can create distance in our relationships, how “healthy heat” differs from destructive conflict, and why practicing disagreement when the stakes are low can prepare us for the conversations that matter most. Together, they unpack toxic politeness and why meaningful relationships require us to embrace discomfort instead of avoiding it. They also explore how preparation and collective humanity can be powerful tools to de-escalate conflict. The conversation leads Brené and Adam to reflect on their own history and how some of their hardest conversations have ultimately deepened their friendship.

About Priya Parker | Her Story – Priya Parker, priyaparker.com (web page)

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters – Priya Parker, 2018, Riverhead Books (book)

Brené with Priya Parker on The Art of Gathering – Brené Brown and Priya Parker, 2020, Unlocking Us (podcast episode)

Brené with Priya Parker on How We Return and Why It Matters, Part 1 of 2 – Brené Brown and Priya Parker, 2021, Dare to Lead (podcast episode)

Brené and Adam on What They Will Never Agree On – Brené Brown and Adam Grant, 2026, The Curiosity Shop (video/podcast episode, YouTube)

Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: A meta-analysis – Carsten K. W. De Dreu and Laurie R. Weingart, 2003, Journal of Applied Psychology (journal article)

The Science of Productive Conflict – Adam Grant, 2021, WorkLife with Adam Grant (video episode, YouTube)

Heat is relevance (and other things I've learned about healthy heat) – Priya Parker, 2026, Group Life (newsletter post, Substack)

Group Life – Priya Parker, n.d., Substack (newsletter)

Prentis Hemphill – Prentis Hemphill, n.d., prentishemphill.com (personal website)

Clear Is Kind. Unclear Is Unkind. – Brené Brown, 2018, brenebrown.com (article)

Working at Canlis – Canlis, n.d., canlis.com (careers page)

Do I stay or do I go? – Priya Parker, 2026, Group Life (newsletter post, Substack)

Why Avoiding Conflict Is Actually Hurting Your Relationships | Priya Parker on 'The Interview' – The New York Times, 2026, YouTube (video)

Festivus: The Airing of Grievances – Seinfeld, “The Strike,” 1997, YouTube (video clip)

The Rituals Of Reality TV Reunions: An In-Depth Examination – Gibson Johns, 2024, Betches (article)

Resources – Conscious Leadership Group, conscious.is (resource library)

Fairy Tales and Script Drama Analysis – Stephen B. Karpman, 1968, Transactional Analysis Bulletin (journal article)

How to Use the Drama Triangle at Work – Conscious Leadership Group, n.d., conscious.is (blog post)

Martin B. Copenhaver – The Christian Century, christiancentury.org (contributor page)

The Rev. Martin

B. Copenhaver: "Divided We Stand" – Martin B. Copenhaver, 2007, Washington National Cathedral (sermon)

Open and Affirming – UCC Open and Affirming Coalition, openandaffirming.org (organisation page)

Open and Affirming – United Church of Christ, n.d., ucc.org (denomination page)

Robert's Rules of Order – Henry M. Robert, 1876, Project Gutenberg (book)

Zohran Mamdani Campaign Rally, United Palace, Washington Heights – uploader not confirmed, 2025, YouTube (video, deep link at 7:41)

The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts, Minds, and Democracy – Anand Giridharadas, 2022, Knopf (book)

Remembering Hal Saunders, Founder and Mentor – Sustained Dialogue Institute, 2016, sustaineddialogue.org (memorial notice)

Man in the Mirror: Hope, Struggle, and Belonging in an American City – Anand Giridharadas, 2026, Knopf / Penguin Random House (book)

The 12 New Books to Spice Up Your Fall – Adam Grant, 2026, Granted (newsletter post, Substack)

The Story Rumble Process: A Guide for Groups and Teams – Brené Brown, 2018, brenebrown.com (downloadable resource)
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