Hidden Potential by Adam Grant

HIDDEN POTENTIAL is another insightful text by organizational psychologist Adam Grant (Think Again). Here, he explores “The Science of Achieving Greater Things,” emphasizing the importance of character traits like proactivity, discipline, and determination. He argues that these skills can be learned and nurtured, leading to a huge impact. In fact, Grant writes, "Potential is not a matter of where you start, but of how far you travel. We need to focus less on starting points and more on distance traveled." Grant uses research and examples from numerous fields (and countries, particularly Finland) to support his arguments about making learning fun and building a love of reading. HIDDEN POTENTIAL received a starred review from Kirkus.  Given his emphasis on the important role that teachers (and parents) play, this title would make a fascinating all school read – worthy of faculty discussion time with Grant’s guide. I am also curious how individual teachers, administrators, and students would respond to his quiz about imperfectionists, discomfort seekers, and sponges. A significant portion of the text is devoted to notes and there is an “Actions for Impact” summary which lists Grant’s “top 40 practical takeaways for unlocking hidden potential and achieving greater things;” just the right number to explore one idea per week during the average school year.