Showing results by author "Alan Gregerman" in All Categories

Ignorance may or may not be bliss. But the right kind of ignorance can be genius. Expertise in any field is ultimately important to success. But it usually comes with a problem—a tendency toward incremental change and to become limited by what we know and what has worked in the past. As a result, the most innovative thinking that has driven upstart companies and allowed old brands to stay relevant in a fast-changing world often comes when we leave behind what we know best and what’s considered “possible.”

Most of us assume our success relies on a network of friends and close contacts. But innovative thinking requires a steady stream of fresh ideas and new possibilities, which strangers are more likely to introduce. Our survival instincts naturally cause us to look upon strangers with suspicion and distrust, but in The Necessity of Strangers, Alan Gregerman offers the provocative idea that engaging with strangers is an opportunity, not a threat, and that engaging with the right strangers is essential to unlocking our real potential.