Todd Kashdan, Ph.D.
Professor of psychology, George Mason University, and bestselling author
Jane McGonigal, Ph.D.
Director of Game Research and Development at the Institute for the Future and two-time New York Times bestselling author
The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively
BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: Attendees who purchase a copy of The Art of Insubordination from FAN’s partner bookseller The Book Stall are invited to attend an AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Prof. Kashdan that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.
For too long, we painted a dark picture of insubordination. A word defined as someone who is a problem. However, there is untapped value in embracing and permitting principled rebels.
For ideas to evolve and for societies to progress, we desperately need rebels to challenge conventional wisdom and improve on it. Unfortunately, most of us fear non-conformists, perceiving them as disloyal, reckless, or just plain weird. Because most would-be rebels lack the strength and skills to overcome hostile audiences, principled insubordination remains an under-leveraged asset in the workplace and public square.
In The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively, Todd Kashdan, Ph.D. presents a guidebook for anyone seeking constructive influence when making change and rebelling against an unhealthy status quo. He offers evidence-based strategies to become better allies of our leaders in change, ensuring that the best ideas, products, and solutions survive and win the day. Filled with fresh and engaging stories about dissenters in the trenches as well as science that will make you see the world in a different way, he explores topics that are central to productive conflict and the design of healthier societies: courage, curiosity, creativity, psychological strengths, mental agility, resilience, and well-being.
A Professor of Psychology at George Mason University, and a leading authority on well-being, curiosity, courage, and resilience, Prof. Kashdan has published over 200 scientific articles, and he received the American Psychological Association’s Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology. His books Curious? and The Upside of Your Dark Side have been translated into over 15 languages. His writing has appeared in the Harvard Business Review, National Geographic, and other publications, and his research is featured regularly in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, Fast Company, and Time Magazine.
Prof. Kashdan will be in conversation with Jane McGonigal, Ph.D. (FAN ’22), director of Games Research and Development at the Institute for the Future and author of the new book Imaginable: How to See the Future Coming and Feel Ready for Anything—Even Things That Seem Impossible Today.
This event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on our website and YouTube channel.
Event Sponsors
- Bennett Day School
- Chiaravalle Montessori School
- Christ Church Winnetka
- Compass Health Center
- Countryside Day School
- Evanston Township High School D202
- Family Service Center
- Family Service of Glencoe
- Foundation 65
- Francis W. Parker School
- Fusion Academy
- Glencoe D35
- Kenilworth D38
- Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools
- Loyola Academy
- New Trier High School D203
- New Trier Parents’ Association
- North Shore Country Day
- Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy
- Regina Dominican College Preparatory High School
- Rogers Park Montessori School
- Roycemore School
- Science & Arts Academy
- Stevenson High School D125
- The Alliance for Early Childhood
- The Family Institute at Northwestern University
- University of Chicago Laboratory Schools Parents’ Association
- Winnetka D36
- Wolcott College Prep
- Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart

Upcoming Events
Fireproof: Memoir of a Chef
Curtis Duffy
World-renowned Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur
Heidi Stevens
Chicago-based writer and Director of External Affairs for the University of Chicago’s TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health
ON ZOOM
The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups
Colin M. Fisher, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Organisations and Innovation at University College London's School of Management
Amy C. Edmondson, Ph.D.
Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School
ON ZOOM
Robin Hood Math: Take Control of the Algorithms That Run Your Life
Noah Giansiracusa, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Mathematics at Bentley University
Karen Saxe, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President, Government Relations, American Mathematical Society
ON ZOOM