Think Again

Grant's argument is that intelligence is usually measured by how well we think and learn, but a more urgent skill in a fast-changing world is rethinking — the willingness to question our own opinions, update our beliefs, and unlearn what we thought we knew. He shows how ego, identity, and tribal instincts push us to defend beliefs like possessions rather than test them like scientists, and offers ways to build rethinking into how we argue, negotiate, teach, and lead.

The book matters because certainty is seductive and socially rewarded, while the mental flexibility that actually produces good judgment — approaching your own views with the same scrutiny you'd apply to an opponent's — is chronically undervalued, both individually and in organizations that punish admitted mistakes.

Who should read it

This suits managers, negotiators, teachers, and anyone who wants to argue and persuade more effectively, as well as readers wrestling with a belief they suspect may be outdated. It's especially useful for people in fast-moving fields where yesterday's expertise can become tomorrow's liability.

About the author

Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist and professor at the Wharton School, and the author of several bestselling books on work and psychology, including Give and Take and Originals.