Book Review of Originals by Adam Grant

Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant

I read this book for work, so it has nothing to do with justice or vengeance. But potentially, it could be redeeming, bringing out one’s hidden innovation potential.

Originals covers many areas. These areas include how creative people differ, how original ideas are thought up and moved forward, actions for leaders to encourage originality in organizations, tips for people to shake up the status quo, research on innovation, and more. Grant writes about what drives innovation and originality, the different types of people who are innovators, how originals form coalitions and how they can best drive their ideas. He discusses first movers (pioneers) versus settlers and the advantages and disadvantages. There’s a section on cultures that drive innovation and good decision making. As a writer, I found many of the concepts in the book both enlightening and encouraging.

Adam Grant also sheds light on historical figures who he classifies as originals. Some of these are or were innovators. Some are or were organizational leaders. Some are or were cultural movers and shakers. The history interwoven with the concepts brought the concepts to life and showed how they apply.

Grant references many research studies and case studies. The back of the book has over thirty pages of references.

My only complaint is that Grant jumps from idea to idea frequently, so the reader needs to pay attention. I took quite a few notes. The chapters are long, but they do include sub-headings. If you’re like me and like to stop at the end of a chapter, you can at least stop at a section end. Overall, it’s a short book with less than three hundred pages of content, excluding the references.

I recommend this book to pretty much everyone. I believe all of us, wherever we are on the spectrum of an original or innovator can take something of use away from this book.

Since I will be reading and reviewing several non-fiction books this year, I’ll have two separate rankings, one for fiction and one for non-fiction. Being the first non-fiction book, it tops the list.

Non-Fiction

1. Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant

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