by Todd Rose

Sometimes you read a book that challenges an assumption and makes you think. I like those kinds of books.

Sometimes you read a book that challenges you to rethink a whole set of assumptions. I like those kinds of books too, even if they sometimes make my brain hurt.

The End of Average by Todd Rose falls into the latter category. The main premise? The idea of someone being average is scientifically wrong, and the actions that we take based on that assumption are dangerous to the development of our potential.

The author is the Director of the Mind, Brain, and Education Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, so he has the scientific chops to show us his findings. This isn’t a feel good book about how we should celebrate our uniqueness. Yet, that is one of the outcomes that will come from reading the book.

This book is a thesis for and manifesto to us redefining those we work with and lead (and parent) based on their uniqueness, rather than in comparison to the mythical “average person.”

This book will help you think about coaching and leading differently. It will give you fresh insights into common tools we use like personality assessments and performance reviews. And it will challenge you to think about it’s implications in societal and educational ways, too.

If you want to stretch your thinking and see the world in some new ways, and yes, even make your head hurt just a bit, read this book.