About this episode

Brené Brown and Adam Grant discuss the concept of near enemies, paradoxical thinking, and the role of sports as leadership theater.

Previously released on Dare to Lead, this is part of a special six-part series with Adam Grant on Brené's book, Strong Ground. They dig into the Buddhist concept of near and far enemies- and why the biggest threat to your values isn't the opposite of them, it's what masquerades as them. From there they move into discussion around the value of paradoxical thinking, why some tensions aren't meant to be resolved, and why sports are leadership theater. Plus a conversation about why future time is always undervalued. Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit – Brené Brown, 2025, Random House The Near Enemies of the Heart – Jack Kornfield, n.d., jackkornfield.com Almost Everything: Notes on Hope – Anne Lamott, 2018, Riverhead Books (Chapter 2: “Inside Job”) 12 truths I learned from life and writing – Anne Lamott, July 13, 2017, TED (Video) Anne Lamott's thoughts on love, writing, and being judgy – Adam Grant (Host), April 16, 2024, ReThinking with Adam Grant, TED Audio Collective Genius of the AND – Jim Collins, n.d., jimcollins.com Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning – James G. March, 1991…

People in this episode

Host: Brené Brown

Guest: Adam Grant

Topics covered

• leadership
• sports
• values
• paradoxical thinking
• Buddhist concepts
• organizational learning

Keywords

• leadership theater
• near enemies
• Brené Brown
• Adam Grant
• paradoxical thinking
• values
• sports
• organizational learning

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Strong Ground, The Near Enemies of the Heart, Almost Everything: Notes on Hope, 12 truths I learned from life and writing, Genius of the AND, Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning, Putting Feelings Into Words, How to Tame Reactive Emotions by Naming Them, Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule, The Tush Push Explained

More episodes of The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant

• You Don't Get an A for Effort · July 16, 2026 · 39 min
• Time Scarcity and Pocket Presence · July 9, 2026 · 38 min
• Courageous Leadership as a Daily Practice · June 25, 2026 · 44 min
• The Highest Performance Strategy is Caring About People ft. Simon Sinek · June 18, 2026 · 1h 21m

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