The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant

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 features two of the world's most sought-after experts on connection, change, and leadership making 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 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. New episodes drop every Thursday. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

  1. 1d ago

    What Chimpanzees Reveal About How We Connect and Divide with Aaron Sandel

    Primatologist Aaron Sandel has spent over a decade studying the Ngogo chimpanzees, witnessing one of the largest known chimp communities split into two factions. In this episode, Aaron joins Brené and Adam to explore what chimpanzees can teach us about friendship, conflict, belonging, and human nature. He shares what he learned from watching these chimps show affection, navigate dominance hierarchies, and face the effects of division within their own community.  Aaron also reflects on what it was like to watch chimps he knew by name turn against one another, while exploring the surprising depth of bonds between chimpanzees. Together, they explore the parallels between chimpanzee behavior and the ways we harmonize, polarize, and build communities in our own lives. Prof. Aaron Sandel – Aaron Sandel, aaron-sandel.com The Ngogo Chimpanzee Project – Watts, D., et al., ngogochimpanzeeproject.org Male-Male Relationships and the Transition to Adulthood in Chimpanzees – Sandel, A., 2017, University of Michigan (PhD Dissertation) First Clearly Documented Split in World’s Largest Known Chimpanzee Community Leads to Deadly Violence – Erin Walters, April 9, 2026, UT Austin News Lethal Conflict After Group Fission in Wild Chimpanzees – Sandel, A., et al., 2026, Science Hunting Behavior of Chimpanzees at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda – Watts, D. & Mitani, J., 2002, International Journal of Primatology Is a chimp a monkey? – Catherine Annau & Tatiana Hayek, January 4, 2017, Jane Goodall Institute Canada Chimp Empire – Directed by James Reed, narrated by Mahershala Ali, April 19, 2023, Netflix (Documentary Series) Chimp Empire | Mahershala Ali | Official Trailer – Netflix, March 22, 2023, YouTube (Video) Conflicted Opinion: Yale Chimpanzee Expert Weighs In on 'Chimp Empire' – Mike Cummings, June 8, 2023, YaleNews Which Chimp Is Which in Chimp Empire? – Netflix, April 26, 2023, Netflix Tudum What Happened to the Chimps in ‘Chimp Empire?’ – Netflix Tudum, May 2, 2023, Netflix Kibale National Park – Google, Google Maps (Map) Kibale National Park – Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Harvard University Uganda Wildlife Authority – Uganda Wildlife Authority, ugandawildlife.org Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience – Brené Brown, 2021, brenebrown.com (Book) The Social Self: On Being the Same and Different at the Same Time – Brewer, M., 1991, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin How Was Chimp Empire Made? – Netflix Tudum, May 2, 2023, Netflix Male Chimpanzees Form Enduring and Equitable Social Bonds – Mitani, J., 2009, Animal Behaviour My Life Among the Apes – Mitani, J., 2020, American Journal of Primatology Rise of the Warrior Apes – James Reed (Director), 2017, KEO Films (Film - Prequel to Chimp Empire) Most VIOLENT Chimpanzee Society Ever Discovered | Rise of the Warrior Apes – Discovery Australia, February 16, 2018, YouTube (Video) What a Chimpanzee ‘Civil War’ Can Teach Us About How Societies Fall Apart – Nathan Rott, April 13, 2026, NPR Lethal Aggression in Pan Is Better Explained by Adaptive Strategies Than Human Impacts – Wilson, M., et al., 2014, Nature Intergroup Aggression in Chimpanzees and War in Nomadic Hunter-Gatherers: Evaluating the Chimpanzee Model – Wrangham, R. & Glowacki, L., 2012, Human Nature UT Researchers Find Polarization, Lethal Conflict Among Chimpanzees – Khoi Nguyen, April 21, 2026, The Daily Texan Adolescent Male Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Form Social Bonds With Their Brothers and Others During the Transition to Adulthood – Sandel, A., et al., 2020, American Journal of Primatology Glimpses of Fatherhood Found in Non-Pair-Bonding Chimps – University of Texas at Austin, January 15, 2020, ScienceDaily Human Respiratory Viruses Continue to Spread in Wild Chimpanzees – University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, January 2019, UW-Madison Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead – Brené Brown, 2012, brenebrown.com (Book) Anthropomorphism and Anthropodenial: Consistency in Our Thinking About Humans and Other Animals – de Waal, F., 1999, Philosophical Topics Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? – Frans de Waal, 2016, W. W. Norton (Book) Constraints on Relationship Formation Among Female Primates – Barrett, L. & Henzi, S., 2002, Behaviour The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle – Aristotle, translated by F. H. Peters, 1893, Project Gutenberg (Book) Think Your Adolescence Was Hard? Try Being a Chimp – Harvard Gazette, May 21, 2026, Harvard University Social Relationships Between Chimpanzee Sons and Mothers Endure but Change – Reddy, R. & Sandel, A., 2020, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Puberty Initiates a Unique Stage of Social Learning and Development Prior to Adulthood: Insights From Studies of Adolescence in Wild Chimpanzees – Reddy, R., et al., 2022, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Male–Male Relationships in Chimpanzees and the Evolution of Human Pair Bonds – Sandel, A., 2023, Evolutionary Anthropology Romantic Love in Humans May Have Evolved From Same-Sex Friendship – Lauren Macknight, June 7, 2023, Phys.org ‘It’s Like ‘Game of Thrones’’: Otter Clans Wage War Over Space in Singapore – Maina Chen, October 25, 2021, Yahoo News Conservation – The Ngogo Chimpanzee Project, ngogochimpanzeeproject.org Mass Communication and Para-Social Interaction: Observations on Intimacy at a Distance – Donald Horton & R. Richard Wohl, 1956, Psychiatry 19(3):215-229  Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know – Adam Grant, 2021, adamgrant.net (Book) Callings – Amy Wrzesniewski, 2010, September 1, 2010, The Oxford Handbook of Positive Organizational Scholarship Unpacking Emotion Differentiation: Transforming Unpleasant Experience by Perceiving Distinctions in Negativity – Kashdan, T., et al., 2015, Current Directions in Psychological Science How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain – Lisa Feldman Barrett, 2017, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Book) Does Language Do More Than Communicate Emotion? – Lindquist, K., et al., 2015, Current Directions in Psychological Science Brené Brown Says You’re Doing Feelings Wrong – Dan Harris, April 2022, Ten Percent Happier (Podcast) Ancestral Diversity – Niedenthal Emotions Lab, University of Wisconsin–Madison Great Ape Gestures: Intentional Communication With a Rich Set of Innate Signals – Byrne, R., et al., 2017, Animal Cognition Towards a Great Ape Dictionary: Inexperienced Humans Understand Common Nonhuman Ape Gestures – Graham, K. & Hobaiter, C., 2023, PLOS Biology Learn more about your ad choices. 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  2. Aug 27

    Building Integrity in the Age of Normalized Cheating

    What happens to integrity when cheating becomes easier and the world seems to reward people for cutting corners? In this episode of The Curiosity Shop, Adam shares what happened when he discovered that students were planning to use AI to cheat on an exam. Brené and Adam move into a much larger conversation about honesty, character, and moral identity. Together, they explore when using AI is inherently cheating, why monitoring people isn’t enough to make them trustworthy, the difference between shame and adaptive guilt, and what research reveals about building a stronger moral compass. They also unpack why honor codes can sometimes backfire, how inconsistent accountability undermines trust, and what dimension of character we often overlook. Ultimately, Brené and Adam explore the difference between wanting to be seen as a good person and choosing to become the kind of person who does the right thing even when no one else is watching. There’s Really Only One Way to Stop Students From Cheating – Adam Grant, August 26, 2026, The New York Times Cheating: Why Students Do It and How We Can Help Them Stop – Donald McCabe, 2001, American Educator Brené Brown: The Rage Bucket Theory – Trevor Noah, June 4, 2026, What Now? with Trevor Noah Adam Grant Gives Trevor an Intellectual Wedgie – Trevor Noah, August 2024, What Now? with Trevor Noah Pickleball Line Rules: Calling the Ball “In” or “Out” – PlayPickleball.com, July 31, 2024, YouTube Cheating in the Age of Generative AI: A High School Survey Study of Cheating Behaviors Before and After the Release of ChatGPT – Lee et al., 2024, Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence Addressing Academic Dishonesty in Higher Education: A Systematic Review of Generative AI’s Impact – Sharma & Panja, 2025, Open Praxis As Schools Reconsider Cursive, Research Homes in on Handwriting’s Brain Benefits – Jonathan Lambert, May 11, 2024, NPR How Learning Handwriting Trains the Brain: The Science Behind the Cursive Wars – Mariana Lenharo, February 2, 2026, Nature The Importance of Cursive Handwriting Over Typewriting for Learning in the Classroom – Ose Askvik et al., 2020, Frontiers in Psychology Why Cursive Handwriting Is Good for Your Brain – Christopher Bergland, October 2, 2020, Psychology Today The Effects of Handwriting Experience on Functional Brain Development in Pre-Literate Children – James & Engelhardt, 2012, Trends in Neuroscience and Education How Handwriting Trains the Brain – Gwendolyn Bounds, October 5, 2010, The Wall Street Journal The Self-Importance of Moral Identity – Aquino & Reed, 2002, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Does Moral Identity Effectively Predict Moral Behavior? A Meta-Analysis – Hertz & Krettenauer, 2016, Review of General Psychology Competition and Cheating: Investigating the Role of Moral Awareness, Moral Identity, and Moral Elevation – Vadera & Pathki, 2021, Journal of Organizational Behavior Moral Emotions and Moral Behavior – Tangney et al., 2007, Annual Review of Psychology Shame and Guilt – Tangney & Dearing, 2002, Guilford Press Shame, Guilt, and Depressive Symptoms: A Meta-Analytic Review – Kim et al., 2011, Psychological Bulletin Shame v. Guilt – Brené Brown, January 14, 2013, brenebrown.com Protecting Our Attention, Time and Humanity in a World That Won’t Slow Down – Brené Brown, August 20, 2026, The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant Effectiveness of Ex Ante Honesty Oaths in Reducing Dishonesty Depends on Content – Zickfeld et al., 2025, Nature Human Behaviour Committed Dishonesty: A Systematic Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Social Commitment on Dishonest Behavior – Zickfeld et al., 2024, Psychological Bulletin Detecting and Preventing Cheating in Exams: Evidence From a Field Experiment – Cagala et al., 2024, Journal of Human Resources The Honor Committee – University of Virginia, honor.virginia.edu Effects of Honor Code Reminders on University Students’ Cheating in Unproctored Exams – Zhao et al., 2023, Contemporary Educational Psychology Honor Codes and Other Contextual Influences on Academic Integrity: A Replication and Extension to Modified Honor Code Settings – McCabe et al., 2002, Research in Higher Education Academic Dishonesty: Honor Codes and Other Contextual Influences – McCabe & Treviño, 1993, Journal of Higher Education Bicentennial Analysis – UVA Honor Committee, 2019, University of Virginia Culture Is Not the Problem. Tolerated Behaviour Is. – John Amaechi, February 15, 2026, Giant! with John Amaechi Making a Pledge Can Encourage Honest Behavior—If the Wording Is Right – Simon Makin, Scientific American, February 26, 2025, Scientific American "Do or do not. There is no try” - Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back, Screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, 1980,  [Video] YouTube  I Solemnly Swear I’m Up to Good: A Megastudy Investigating the Effectiveness of Honesty Oaths on Curbing Dishonesty – Zickfeld et al., 2024, HAL Preprint Trump Reports Over $1 Billion in Income From Crypto Ventures – TIME, June 30, 2026, TIME Now Available: The President’s and Vice President’s Public Financial Disclosure Reports – U.S. Office of Government Ethics, 2026, U.S. Office of Government Ethics Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 – U.S. Congress, 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-105 This Is Your Brain on Drugs – Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 1987, YouTube Project D.A.R.E. Outcome Effectiveness Revisited – West & O’Neal, 2004, American Journal of Public Health New Approaches to Youth Substance Misuse – American Psychological Association, March 2024, Monitor on Psychology Beyond Pleasure and Pain – Higgins, 1997, American Psychologist Self-Discrepancy: A Theory Relating Self and Affect – Higgins, 1987, Psychological Review Possible Selves – Markus & Nurius, 1986, American Psychologist Unwanted Identities: A Key Variable in Shame–Anger Links and Gender Differences in Shame – Ferguson et al., 2000, Sex Roles Shame Resilience Theory: A Grounded Theory Study on Women and Shame – Brown, 2006, Families in Society The BRAVING Inventory – Brené Brown, brenebrown.com An Integrative Model of Organizational Trust – Mayer et al., 1995, Academy of Management Review The Halo Effect: Evidence for Unconscious Alteration of Judgments – Nisbett & Wilson, 1977, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Integrity Is Choosing Courage Over Comfort – Brené Brown, brenebrown.com The Self-Importance of Moral Identity – Aquino & Reed, 2002, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology The Optics of Lying: How Pursuing an Honest Social Image Shapes Dishonest Behavior – Guzikevits & Choshen-Hillel, 2022, Current Opinion in Psychology Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear, 2018, Avery Learn more about your ad choices. 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  3. Aug 20

    Brené Brown on Protecting our Attention, Time, and Humanity in a World that Won’t Slow Down

    In this solo episode of The Curiosity Shop, Brené Brown turns to questions and comments from her LinkedIn community to explore what it means to protect our humanity and attention in a world moving faster than ever. She digs into where AI can support our work without replacing human discernment, why "work slop" costs leaders real cognitive bandwidth, and how leaders can tell the difference between polished output and actual understanding. Brené also unpacks Aiko Bethea's idea that transformation requires grief, reflects on what her conversation with Rebecca Lowe revealed about preparation and presence, and explores how pausing and active listening are essential parts of meaningful conversation. Along the way, she explains why she wears two watches and shares the story of getting fired from a house-cleaning job… and the unexpected lesson it taught her about why shiny can never replace mastery. Brené Brown — Brené Brown, LinkedIn (Profile) Adam Grant — Adam Grant, LinkedIn (Profile) AI, Commencement Speeches, and Why Human Thinking Still Matters — Brené Brown & Adam Grant, June 11, 2026, The Curiosity Shop (Podcast) The Rise, Fall, and Surprising Survival of WordPerfect — Jonathan Scott, January 15, 2023, Retro Tech Reads (Post) Why Do Podcasters Wear Headphones While Sitting Next To Each Other? — Ray Malik, January 25, 2025, How-To Geek (Article) AI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying Productivity — Kate Niederhoffer et al., September 22, 2025, Harvard Business Review On Death and Dying — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, 1969, Macmillan (Book) Stages of Grief Portrayed on the Internet: A Systematic Analysis and Critical Appraisal — Kate Anne Avis et al., 2021, Frontiers in Psychology Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit — Brené Brown, 2025, Random House (Book) Multitasking: Switching Costs — American Psychological Association, 2006, APA Center for Humane Technology — Center for Humane Technology, humanetech.com Brené with Father Richard Rohr on Breathing Under Water, Falling Upward, and Unlearning Certainty, Part 1 of 2 — Brené Brown, 2022, Unlocking Us (Podcast) Brené with Father Richard Rohr on Breathing Under Water, Falling Upward, and Unlearning Certainty, Part 2 of 2 — Brené Brown, 2022, Unlocking Us (Podcast) The Two Halves of Life With Brené Brown — Center for Action and Contemplation, 2024, Everything Belongs (Podcast) Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life — Richard Rohr, 2024, John Wiley & Sons (Book) Kairos: The Right Moment or Occasion — Barbara Baert, Institute for Advanced Study The History of the Elgin National Watch Company — Times Ticking, timesticking.com Aiko Bethea — Aiko Bethea, aikobethea.com RARE Coaching & Consulting — Aiko Bethea, rarecoaching.net Brené with Aiko Bethea on Inclusivity at Work: The Heart of Hard Conversations — Brené Brown, 2020, Dare to Lead (Podcast) Stop Outsourcing Your Judgement: Brené Brown in Conversation with Leadership Coach Aiko Bethea — Brené Brown, April 21, 2026, Fast Company Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams — Amy C. Edmondson, 1999, Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2) The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth — Amy C. Edmondson, 2018, Wiley (Book) Systems Thinking Resources (The Iceberg Model) — The Donella Meadows Project, Academy for Systems Change Rebecca Lowe Bio & Career Accomplishments — FOX Sports, FOX Sports Brené with President Barack Obama on Leadership, Family, and Service — Brené Brown, 2020, Dare to Lead (Podcast) Brené with Brandi Carlile on Music, Mysticism, and Broken Horses — Brené Brown, 2021, Unlocking Us (Podcast) Brené with Bono on Songs of Surrender and Carrying the Weight of Our Contradictions, Part 1 of 2 — Brené Brown, 2023, Unlocking Us (Podcast) Dare to Lead Hub — Brené Brown, brenebrown.com Brené with Barrett Guillen on The Hardest Feedback I've Ever Received, Part 1 of 2 — Brené Brown, 2021, Dare to Lead (Podcast) The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant — YouTube (Channel) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. Aug 13

    Can We Build an “Us” Without a “Them”? with John Green

    Is it possible to build a community without a 'them'? Author, YouTuber, and podcaster John Green joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant for a wide-ranging conversation on belonging, friendship, and the systems that shape our lives. Together, they explore why sports can create such powerful communities, whether it’s possible to build an “us” without needing a “them,” and why shared projects can help relationships last for decades. John reflects on the challenges of young adulthood, what he learned from working as a hospital chaplain, and why supporting someone in pain sometimes means resisting the urge to fix it. The conversation also moves through why frictionless access, not just awareness, is essential to helping people get the care they need, the role coaches can play in athletes’ well-being, and John’s upcoming novel Hollywood, Ending. Hollywood, Ending - John Green, September, 2026, hollywoodendingbook.com CrashCourse - Hank Green & John Green, YouTube  Demonic males: Apes and the origins of human violence - Wrangham & Peterson, 1996, Houghton Mifflin. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex - Charles Darwin, 1871/1999, Project Gutenberg Not Like Me = Bad: Infants Prefer Those Who Harm Dissimilar Others - J. Kiley Hamlin, 2013, Psychological Science The Social Self: On Being the Same and Different at the Same Time - Marilynn B. Brewer, 1991, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin The Away End - Episode 1: John Green & Daniel Alarcon Dissect the 2026 World Cup Draw - The Away End, 2026, YouTube Roger Bennett – Men in Blazers Media Network Developmental Sequence in Small Groups - Bruce W. Tuckman, 1965, Psychological Bulletin The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times - Pema Chodron, 2002, Shambhala The Framework for Leading With Both Care and Accountability - Brené Brown, 2026, The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant "The Fault in Our Stars" Author John Green on Reaching Young Adults and Dealing With Mental Illness - CBS News, 2020, 60 Minutes (CBS News) The Social Determinants of Mental Health and Disorder: Evidence, Prevention and Recommendations - James B. Kirkbride, 2024, World Psychiatry Single-Session Interventions for Mental Health Problems and Service Engagement: Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses - Jessica Schleider et al., 2025, Annual Review of Clinical PsychologyAdministrative Burdens in the Social Safety Net - Herd and Moynihan, 2024, Journal of Economic Perspectives Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Mental Health Help-Seeking in Young People: A Systematic Review - Gulliver, Griffiths & Christensen, 2010, BMC Psychiatry The Inverse Care Law - Julian Tudor Hart, 1971, The Lancet Rebooting Psychotherapy Research and Practice to Reduce the Burden of Mental Illness - Alan E. Kazdin & Stacey L. Blase, 2011, Perspectives on Psychological ScienceAre Mental Health Awareness Efforts Contributing to the Rise in Reported Mental Health Problems? A Call to Test the Prevalence Inflation Hypothesis - Lucy Foulkes & Jack L. Andrews, 2023, New Ideas in Psychology  How Coaches Can Be a Source of Mental Health Support for Student-Athletes - Madeline Will, 2024, Education Week Meet the Genius Behind America’s Best Roadside Attraction - Show and Tell, Atlas Obscura, YouTube Kate Bowler - Kate Bowler, katebowler.com How the Intention to Share Can Undermine Enjoyment: Photo-Taking Goals and Evaluation of Experiences - Alixandra Barasch, 2018, Journal of Consumer Research Optimal Distinctiveness Theory: A Framework for Social Identity, Social Cognition, and Intergroup Relations - Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, 2010, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  5. Aug 6

    Leading Under Pressure with Rebecca Lowe

    What does it take to stay calm when millions are watching? Rebecca Lowe, the host of NBC’s Premier League coverage and Fox’s record-breaking 2026 World Cup broadcast, joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant to explore why preparation—not confidence—is her real superpower; the weight of being one of the only women in the room; and what it really means to lead when things get chaotic. Together, they unpack the difference between presence and preparedness, the “permission slip” moment that defines great leadership, and why the loudest person in the room isn’t always the one in charge. Along the way, Rebecca reflects on breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry, how she earns trust from personalities like Zlatan Ibrahimović, and the teachable habit she uses to keep her co-hosts focused on live TV.  The Return of Coach Lasso – NBC Sports, 2014, YouTube Nessun Dorma, Rome 1990 – Luciano Pavarotti, 1990, YouTube Double Standards for Competence – Martha Foschi, 2000, Annual Review of Sociology "Executive Presence" Is Overrated – Adam Grant & Brené Brown, 2025, Instagram Entrepreneur Passion and Preparedness in Business Plan Presentations – Xiao-Ping Chen, 2009, Academy of Management Journal Beyond Nine to Five – Lieke ten Brummelhuis, 2017, Academy of Management Discoveries Building atomic habits with James Clear –  Adam Grant (Host), July 21, 2023, ReThinking with Adam Grant Can Your Employees Really Speak Freely? – James Detert, 2016, Harvard Business Review Trailblazing Motivation and Marginalized Group Members – Karren Knowlton, 2025, Organization Science Bullet Time Effect in "Sherlock" the BBC TV Series – Moffat & Gattiss, January 14,  2014, BBC/YouTube Conversational Style – Deborah Tannen, 2005, Oxford University Press Who Won't Shut Up in Meetings? – Adam Grant, 2021, The Washington Post Dare to Lead read-along workbook (Permission Slips) – Brené Brown, 2021, Brené Brown, LLC Tell Me What I Did Wrong – Stacey Finkelstein, 2012, Journal of Consumer Research Emotional Contagion – Elaine Hatfield, 1993, Current Directions in Psychological Science Huge If True – Cleo Abram, YouTube Range – David Epstein, 2019, Riverhead Books The science of performing under pressure with Sian Beilock – Adam Grant (Host), March 28, 2023, ReThinking with Adam Grant (“Twisties” discussion at 8:50)  Hidden Potential – Adam Grant, 2023, Viking What Being Sober Has Meant to Me – Brené Brown, 2019, brenebrown.com The Gifts of Imperfection – Brené Brown, 2010, Hazelden Publishing Positive Conceptions of Perfectionism – Joachim Stoeber, 2006, Personality and Social Psychology Review The Queen Bee Phenomenon – Belle Derks, 2016, The Leadership Quarterly Some Effects of Proportions on Group Life: Skewed Sex Ratios and Responses to Token Women – Rosabeth Moss Kanter, 1977, American Journal of Sociology Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex – Kimberlé Crenshaw, 1989, University of Chicago Legal Forum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. Jul 30

    Why Sports Matter Even When the Game Doesn’t with Roger Bennett

    Why do sports make us cry, unite strangers, and create memories that last a lifetime? In this episode, Men in Blazers founder and CEO Roger Bennett joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant fresh off a 39-day World Cup marathon to explore what the tournament revealed about identity, belonging, and the power of collective effervescence. Together, they unpack the difference between hero players and hero teams, what it means to be a true fan, the political complexities surrounding the World Cup, and how sports create shared experiences that shape our lives. Along the way, Roger shares stories from the road, reflects on the strange grief of “World Cup withdrawal,” and revisits some of the tournament’s most memorable stories, including Erling Haaland’s taxidermy shop detour, the Cape Verde goalkeeper who became a global icon overnight, the controversial red card reversal, and more. Roger Bennett – Men in Blazers Media Network The Englishman Who Became America’s No. 1 Soccer Fan – David Waldstein, July 16, 2026, The New York Times Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett Eats Two Dinners During the World Cup “Chicken-tinga burros are the Messi of burros.” –  Ben Widdicombe, July 17, 2026, New York Magazine  Brené Brown on Surrounding Yourself With People Who Take Pleasure in Your Joy (Schadenfreude vs. Freudenfreude) – Ellen DeGeneres, April 1, 2022, TheEllenShow Premier League to bring all 20 clubs to U.S. in activation after 2026 World Cup – Victoria Hernandez, July 23, 2026, Yahoo Sports The Kansas City fanwalk had us all like… – OnsOranje, Royal Dutch Football Association The Numbers Game: Why Everything You Know About Football Is Wrong – Anderson & Sally, 2013, Penguin  Men in Blazers - “The Women’s Game” and “Vamos” (Platform links) – The Men in Blazers Media Network New Volume Edited by Phil Smith and Sébastien Tutenges: Collective Effervescence – 2026, Yale Center for Cultural Sociology ROG’s Heartbreaking Farewell and Stunning Comeback at Goodison Park (Everton) – Roger Bennett, 2026, YouTube Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability & Joy in Liverpool! – Roger Bennett, April, 2025, Men in Blazers (Interview) Anfield sings 'You'll Never Walk Alone' to kick off new season – NBC Sports, August 15, 2025, YouTube We Are the World (Cup): A Personal History of the World's Greatest Sporting Event – Roger Bennett, 2026, HarperCollins Who Belongs? Football and the Reinvention of the Modern Nation – Josh Wilson, 2026, TIME The definition of a true fan – Adam Grant, Instagram Folarin Balogun's lifted suspension – Roger Bennett, CBS Morning News, Instagram This is so awkward: Modern puberty explained – Cara Natterson & Vanessa Kroll Bennett, 2023, Rodale Books Human challenges in polar and space environments – Sandal et al., 2006, Springer Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit – Brené Brown, 2025, Random House Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  7. Jul 23

    The Framework for Leading With Both Care and Accountability

    This episode is a master class in coaching as Aiko Bethea, one of the most respected senior leadership coaches in the country, takes Brené through a current leadership conflict in real time, showing just how hard it is to slow down and lead from your values instead of your urgency. The coaching session is underpinned by Aiko's new "Anchored, Aligned, and Accountable" framework that focuses on why self-leadership is so critical in today's complex operating environment. Together, they dig into the difference between assuming good intent and believing someone is doing the best they can, and why that distinction changes what accountability actually looks like in practice. Aiko also introduces and models the powerful coaching practice of "three levels of listening" and how it's central to developing a coaching mindset. Aiko Bethea — Aiko Bethea, aikobethea.com Dare to Lead Hub — Brené Brown, brenebrown.com Audre Lorde — Mariana Brandman, 2021, National Women's History Museum bell hooks — Asami Robledo-Allen Yamamoto, 2025, National Women's History Museum RARE Coaching | Aiko Bethea (@rare_coach) — Aiko Bethea, n.d., Instagram Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams — Amy Edmondson, 1999, Administrative Science Quarterly This Is Our Reminder of What Courageous Leadership Looks Like — Brené Brown, 2026, LinkedIn One of the Greatest Joys of My Career Has Been… — Brené Brown, 2026, LinkedIn Futurist Amy Webb on What's Coming (and What's Here) — Brené Brown, 2024, Dare to Lead podcast Brené with Aiko Bethea on Inclusivity at Work: The Heart of Hard Conversations — Brené Brown, 2020, Dare to Lead podcast Rising Strong — Brené Brown, 2015, Random House Feeling Powerless at Work? Here's Where Your Agency Still Lives — Jessi Hempel, 2026, Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel Without Accountability, Just Throw It All Away — Aiko Bethea, 2023, LinkedIn (Street Lights newsletter) Post on Learning and Development (#learninganddevelopment) — Aiko Bethea, 2026, LinkedIn Dare to Lead — Brené Brown, 2018, Random House Stop Outsourcing Your Judgment: Brené Brown in Conversation with Leadership Coach Aiko Bethea — Brené Brown, 2026, Fast Company Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  8. Jul 16

    You Don't Get an A for Effort

    Previously released on Dare to Lead, this is part of a special six-part series with Adam Grant on Brené's book, Strong Ground. Brené and Adam unpack the difference between effort and excellence, why coaching matters more than judgment, and how unclear priorities can quietly derail even the hardest-working teams. From there the conversation moves further into prioritization, a consequential 2x2 decision-making framework, and how leaders inadvertently signal the wrong priorities through their emotional reactions. Circling back to effort, they also discuss why the first question leaders should ask when results fall short is whether they set their team up for success in the first place. Plus, Brené has a real-time realization that her own team may not be aligned on what's actually consequential. Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know – Adam Grant, 2021, Viking Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit – Brené Brown, 2025, Random House No, You Don't Get an A for Effort – Adam Grant, 2024, The New York Times Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck, 2006, Random House Praise for Intelligence Can Undermine Children's Motivation and Performance – Mueller & Dweck, 1998, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology What Having a “Growth Mindset” Actually Means – Carol Dweck, 2016, Harvard Business Review “Both/And” Leadership – Wendy Smith, 2016, Harvard Business Review Genius of the AND – Jim Collins, n.d., JimCollins.com Reversible and Irreversible Decisions – Shane Parrish, n.d., Farnam Street The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You – Elaine Aron, 1996, Broadway Books Sensory-Processing Sensitivity and Its Relation to Introversion and Emotionality – Elaine Aron, 1997, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Above/Below the Line Practice – Brené Brown, 2025, BrenéBrown.com Fairy Tales and Script Drama Analysis – Stephen Karpman, 1968, Transactional Analysis Bulletin (Origin paper for the villain/rescuer/victim model of conflict) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

4.5
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622 Ratings

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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 features two of the world's most sought-after experts on connection, change, and leadership making 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 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. New episodes drop every Thursday. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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