In the book Think Again, Adam Grant will help you become more intelligent, persuasive, and self-aware by demonstrating the importance of being humble about what you don't know, how to identify blind spots in your thinking before they cause problems, and what you can do to become more effective at persuading others of your point of view. We look into the science of changing our minds and how to teach others how to do the same. Grant explains why we should not only allow ourselves to doubt, but also reassess our ideas on a regular basis. We all need to reassess our beliefs now and again. Many of us take comfort in our convictions and avoid rethinking our beliefs because it is difficult.
Admit that you don't know everything if you want to be smarter and more likable. Keep your ego in check. You will be more receptive to learning new things if you start acknowledging that you don't know everything. This means you'll improve your skills. Don't worry, humility and confidence aren't mutually exclusive characteristics. Confidence is about believing in yourself, and humility is about being willing to question your own techniques. People who are successful have both. They are confident in their potential to succeed in the long run, but they are humble enough to question whether they are employing the most effective techniques to get there.
Even the most oblivious people can alter their beliefs. Grant follows the story of Daryl Davis, a black musician. In 1983, he began speaking with members of the Ku Klux Klan in an attempt to persuade them to rethink their beliefs about race. Since then, he has persuaded many of the KKK members with whom he has spoken to to reconsider their beliefs and leave the organization. Davis was even requested to be a godfather by one of these former KKK members.
As Davis's story demonstrates, one of the most effective methods to persuade individuals to modify their prejudiced ideas is to demonstrate how arbitrary those opinions are. When Davis spoke with Klan members, he discovered that many of them held white supremacist ideals because their families did. So, if you want someone to change their perspective, don't simply tell them they're wrong and why they're wrong. One of the most effective ways to get someone to reconsider their opinions is to show them that their beliefs are only due to chance.
Ask the correct questions if you want to persuade others of your point of view. Interviewing someone with the correct questions is another effective technique to convince them to reconsider their opinions. Grant narrates the story of a young anti-vaxxer who didn't want her kid to have the measles vaccine. Dr. Arnaud Gagneur, who they knew might help, was brought in by the maternity unit staff. He employed a technique known as motivational interviewing, which is a powerful persuasion strategy in which you assist individuals find their own reasons to reconsider something rather than telling them why they should. This style of interview starts with genuine inquiry about the origins of the views. Gagneur then proceeded to inquire about her feelings regarding the ramifications of her child not being vaccinated. Instead of trying to persuade someone with numerous facts, a motivational interviewer listens. People sometimes refuse to change their ideas because they prefer to have their own independence over genuinely disagreeing, which is why giving someone the opportunity to make their own decision is so crucial.