The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant

How This Podcast Could Fail

Brené and Adam have a bracingly honest conversation about what could go wrong in their collaboration, and how to set new teams, partnerships, and friendships up for success. They discuss the science of avoiding failure and building alignment, and practical strategies for navigating differences—including their own clashing instincts around minimalism vs. maximalism and sarcasm vs. trashtalk. The episode closes with what each of them is listening to, watching, and reading right now. You can also find The Curiosity Shop on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheCuriosityShop?sub_confirmation=1] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thecuriosityshop] (@thecuriosityshop). Chapters: 00:00 - How Brené Inadvertently Launched Adam into Podcasting 02:57 - Interpreting Sarcasm  16:08 - How to Prevent Failure 28:57 - How Could This Partnership Could Go Wrong 38:42 - Learning From Differences 52:05 - How to Align Teams   1:02:00 - Closing Questions Show Notes: Brené and Adam on What They Will Never Agree On - The Curiosity Shop Episode 1 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlUWQbVds0Q&t=1100s] Unless You’re Oprah, ‘Be Yourself’ Is Terrible Advice - Adam Grant 2016 NYT Op-Ed [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/opinion/sunday/unless-youre-oprah-be-yourself-is-terrible-advice.html#:~:text=But%20for%20most%20people%2C%20%E2%80%9Cbe,that%20are%20better%20left%20unspoken.] My response to Adam Grant’s New York Times Op/ED: Unless You’re Oprah, ‘Be Yourself’ Is Terrible Advice - Brené Brown 2016 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-response-adam-grants-new-york-times-oped-unless-youre-bren%C3%A9-brown/] How to Love Criticism - Adam Grant 2018 WorkLife with Adam Grant [https://youtu.be/Wh1zhRck-Wg?si=vOmdxqBEW8uJiuMr] Adam Grant on The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know - Brené Brown and Adam Grant 2021 Dare To Lead Podcast [https://youtu.be/Wh1zhRck-Wg?si=vOmdxqBEW8uJiuMr] Brené Brown on What Vulnerability Isn’t - Adam Grant and Brené Brown 2023 Re: Thinking Ted Audio Collective [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXVhDSBiZCI] Hypervigilance in Mary Poppins (1964) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysH9kE4t44c] The art and science of trash talk with Rafi Kohan - Adam Grant 2024 Work Life With Adam Grant [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-and-science-of-trash-talk-with-rafi-kohan/id1346314086?i=1000663694095] Performing a Project Premortem - Gary Klein 2007 HBR [https://hbr.org/2007/09/performing-a-project-premortem] Evaluating the Effectiveness of the PreMortem Technique on Plan Confidence - Veinot, Klein, & Wiggins 2010 ISCRAM Conference [researchgate.net/profile/Gary-Klein-3/publication/266485127_Evaluating_the_Effectiveness_of_the_PreMortem_Technique_on_Plan_Confidence/links/565512f708ae1ef929770299/Evaluating-the-Effectiveness-of-the-PreMortem-Technique-on-Plan-Confidence.pdf] The Economics of Gender Differences in Employment Outcomes in Academia - Donna Ginther 2006 National Library of Medicine [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK23781/] Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System - Donnella Meadows 1999 The Donella Meadows Project Academy for Systems Change [https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/] Narcissists: Are We Surrounded? On Science Vs: - Wendy Zukerman 2024 Science VS Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/narcissists-are-we-surrounded/id1051557000?i=1000680950451] Human Raised: Nurturing Connection, Curiosity, & Lifelong Learning in the Age - Dana Suskind, MD 2026 Book [https://www.amazon.com/Human-Raised-Nurturing-Connection-Curiosity/dp/B0GFZTD3N9] The Killing Stones A Detective Jimmy Perez Novel - Ann Cleeves 2025 Book [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-killing-stones-a-detective-jimmy-perez-novel-ann-cleeves/cd200d2a924b63e8?ean=9781250357281&next=t] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Brené and Adam on What They Will Never Agree On

Welcome to The Curiosity Shop! In the inaugural episode, Brené and Adam discuss how a public disagreement about authenticity almost ended their relationship before it began. For the first time, they discuss where they went wrong, why they changed their minds about each other, and what they learned about repair and trust. They also explore what healthy authenticity looks like, and dive into the many things they may still never fully see eye to eye on – from email vs. texting to remote work to faith. Show Notes Unless You’re Oprah, ‘Be Yourself’ Is Terrible Advice [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/05/opinion/sunday/unless-youre-oprah-be-yourself-is-terrible-advice.html#:~:text=But%20for%20most%20people%2C%20%E2%80%9Cbe,that%20are%20better%20left%20unspoken]- Adam Grant 2016 NYT Op-Ed The Fine Line Between Helpful and Harmful Authenticity [https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/smarter-living/the-fine-line-between-helpful-and-harmful-authenticity.html]- Adam Grant 2020 NYT Authenticity Is a Double-Edged Sword [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/authenticity-is-a-double-edged-sword/id1346314086?i=1000470721542]-  Adam Grant 2020 WorkLife with Adam Grant Podcast  My response to Adam Grant’s New York [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-response-adam-grants-new-york-times-oped-unless-youre-bren%C3%A9-brown/]Times Op/ED: Unless You’re Oprah, ‘Be Yourself’ Is Terrible Advice - [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/my-response-adam-grants-new-york-times-oped-unless-youre-bren%C3%A9-brown/] Brené Brown LinkedIn 2016 The Dangers of Being Authentic [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dangers-being-authentic-adam-grant] - Adam Grant LinkedIn 2016 In Tough Times, Psychological Safety Is a Requirement, Not a Luxury  [https://hbr.org/2025/11/in-tough-times-psychological-safety-is-a-requirement-not-a-luxury] - Michael Blanding 2025 HBR Jecker & Landy: Liking a person as a function of doing him a favour  [https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1970-08381-001] - Jecker & Landy 1969 APA PsycNet Adam Grant on The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know  [https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-adam-grant-on-the-power-of-knowing-what-you-dont-know/] - Brené Brown and Adam Grant 2021 Dare To Lead Podcast Brené Brown on What Vulnerability Isn’t [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXVhDSBiZCI] - Adam Grant and Brené Brown 2023 Re: Thinking Ted Audio Collective A Whole New Mind (Right-Brainers will Rule the Future) [https://www.danpink.com/books/whole-new-mind/]  - Daniel H. Pink 2005 Book The Neuroscience of You: How Every Brain Is Different and How to Understand Yours  [https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/the-neuroscience-of-you-how-every-brain-is-different-and-how-to-understand-yours-1788635] - Chantel Prat 2022 Book Dr. Harriet Lerner on I’m Sorry: How to Apologize and Why It Matters, Part 1 of 2  [https://brenebrown.com/podcast/harriet-lerner-and-brene-im-sorry-how-to-apologize-why-it-matters-part-1-of-2/] - Brené Brown and Dr. Harriet Lerner 2020 Unlocking Us Podcast Happy Gilmore Scene - I’m Stupid You’re Smart [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edyVNlo5uW0] - Happy Gilmore 1996 Movie Shame and Guilt [https://www.amazon.com/Shame-Guilt-Emotions-Social-Behavior/dp/1572309873] - June Price Tangney 2002 Book Daniel Kahneman: Doesn't Trust Your Intuition [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daniel-kahneman-doesnt-trust-your-intuition/id1554567118?i=1000513178386] - Adam Grant and Daniel Kahneman 2021 Re:Thinking But yes, Blue Jays are master mimics [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gmVOMEhMj8] Sponsor List Thank you to SAS and Canva! Chapters Titles + Timestamps 0:00 - Introduction 3:26 - Our First Disagreement 18:45 - Our Path Here 28:31 - Approach to Repair an Apology 51:02 - Closing Question Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Welcome to The Curiosity Shop

Research professor Brené Brown and organizational psychologist Adam Grant are partnering on a new weekly podcast grounded in an unflinching commitment to learning and unlearning. At a time when public discourse rewards certainty over inquiry, The Curiosity Shop will see two of the world’s most influential thought leaders make the case for slowing down, asking better questions, and embracing informed complexity over easy answers. Bringing together their left and right brain sensibilities — she’s a qualitative researcher; he’s a quantitative researcher — they will explore some of the defining questions of our time, unpack the research reshaping how we live, lead, and love, and dive deep into the ideas, evidence, and cultural moments intriguing them the most. Tune in for the first episode on Thursday, March 19! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Brené on Strong Ground Ask Me Anything, Part 2 of 2

In the second part of an Ask Me Anything episode around Strong Ground, Brené shares an excerpt from the Strong Ground audiobook that walks listeners through the one topic that elicited the most questions — the Above/Below the Line practice. This is one of the most profound self-awareness tools we discovered! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Brené on Strong Ground Ask Me Anything, Part 1 of 2

In part one of an Ask Me Anything episode around Strong Ground, Brené answers questions from listeners about mindset shifts, leading from where you are, and courage and boldness in uncertain times. She highlights the importance of pausing during big decisions where action is not always impact, breaks down how to be courageous when it’s not the popular choice, and emphasizes the role of curiosity and thoughtfulness when moving through uncertainty and overwhelm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]