The national survey … of the top 1% of the wealth holders in America.  Some of the myths about these people are that they were all straight A students, scored at the top on the SAT, attended elite private schools, etc.  The average SAT score for the sample was 1190.  Their most frequent grade in both high school and college was “B.”  Their GPA in college was 2.9.  Thomas Stanley, College Ranking Not Among Millionaires’ Key Success Factors, December 2012.

I love “A” students (US educational grading) because they work so hard and are so well focused.  Yet I tell my kids that I’m happy if they get As and Bs (and even the occasional C) in school.  I know that being an “A” student is only one path to success and is not always the best path for the creative and innovative individual.

See for example The “A” Student Can Be A Problem

As we strive to do well in our projects we often have to check our assumptions and ensure they are not based upon myth or outdated information.  Success is not the private reserve of the “A” student. In fact it seems that some “A” students might be more successful if they didn’t work so hard to get all As. Think about the opportunities missed, such as completing successful projects and achieving financial independence.

How are you managing your “A” student team members?