The Five Lost Superpowers

Every child begins life with a set of natural strengths that tend to fade as we get older. According to John Reid, those strengths do not disappear. They stay buried just under the surface of adult life, and they can be brought back and used to develop a fuller version of ourselves. The Five Lost Superpowers presents this as a way of recovering abilities that were set aside.

Reid explains that most people were gradually taught to tone down five qualities: curiosity, resilience, authenticity, compassion, and playfulness. The book examines why these traits came to seem out of place in adult life, then shows readers how to restore them. Each chapter takes up one of these strengths as a practical tool for leadership.

The book is aimed at readers who want to rediscover their leadership potential. Its goal is to help them become leaders who can draw out these same strengths in themselves and in the people around them.