How great leaders lead and think

Attending WOBI NYC for the nth time was one of the best experiences yet. The speakers were not just world-class; they were rock stars and superstars in their fields. One of them was Dr. Adam Grant.

- FRANCIS J. KONG

I had the privilege of interviewing Adam many years ago when he published his first book. Back then, he was brilliant yet reserved. Today, he’s a confident, commanding presence - sharper, funnier and clearly more certain of his calling.

His growth mirrors what he teaches: that we are all works in progress. Condensing the key points from his WOBI presentation, I walked away reminded of what outstanding leadership really means in our age of noise, AI and endless debate.

Adam began with a story that made the audience laugh, then think.

In one workplace study, employees were asked how many of their colleagues would steal money if they could get away with it. The answers ranged from five percent to 80 percent.

The punchline? Those who gave the higher numbers were also the ones most likely to steal themselves.

Grant calls this “the projection trap.” We see others through the lens of our own character. Givers assume everyone’s generous. Takers assume everyone's taking advantage.

And this is why one of the most complex parts of leadership isn’t managing people - it’s managing your perception of people.

What you believe about others shapes how you treat them, and how you treat them shapes who they become. It’s the leadership’s version of the chicken-and-egg problem. Only this time, the chicken is your bias, and the egg is your culture.