WorkLife with Adam Grant · June 30, 2026 · 32m

Why the smartest person in the room is asking the “dumb” questions | from TED Business

Modupe Akinola sits down with company builder Molly Graham at TED2026. Graham shares her journey from scaling Facebook to giving a TED Talk and becoming the host of WorkLife with Molly Graham. The conversation covers three practical insights: why the most effective people ask basic-seeming questions, how she quiets her inner critic by naming it 'Bob the Monster,' and why she advises managers to 'give away their Legos'—delegate ownership—to help teams scale.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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Asking dumb questions

Molly Graham argues that the smartest people in any room are the ones willing to ask simple, clarifying questions that others are afraid to voice.

Claude ChatGPT Gemini

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Bob the Monster – naming the inner critic

Graham quells her self-doubt by naming her inner critic 'Bob the Monster,' turning an intimidating voice into something she can dismiss with humor.

Claude ChatGPT Gemini

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Give away your Legos

Graham advises managers to 'give away their Legos'—delegate pieces of projects, roles, or decisions—to empower teams and enable scaling.

Claude ChatGPT Gemini

Misc

✧She affectionately calls her inner critic 'Bob the Monster.'

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