Adam Grant is an organizational psychologist and a best-selling author. His 2024 book, Hidden Potential, has earned a permanent place on my shelf — not because it dazzles with novelty, but because it distills truth with elegance.
I admire the rare ability to compress an idea until it gleams like a cut gem. Grant manages this often, and nowhere more than here:
“When you follow a leader, consider what would lead you to withdraw your support.
If the answer is nothing, your integrity is in jeopardy. Our highest loyalty belongs to principles, not people.
No leader deserves unconditional love. Commitment is earned through character.”
Three sentences. They articulate exactly what I want to whisper, gently but firmly, to the incidental Trump supporter: loyalty is not a blank check.
I may have to revisit the Cabinet letter template and weave this passage in, for it strikes at the very heart of what I am trying to convey.
If you haven’t already, I recommend Hidden Potential by Adam Grant. Find it wherever books are sold or borrowed, and keep it close.