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Fast Forward: How Women Can Achieve Power and Purpose
Learn how some of the world’s most powerful women are using their growing economic power to create success and meaning in their lives while building a better world.
Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In ignited a conversation about women and their careers, and resonated with millions of readers. Fast Forward, by two women leaders with experience and access throughout corporate America and around the world, takes the next step. Through interviews with a network of over fifty trailblazing women, it shows women how to accelerate their growing economic power and combine it with purpose to create success and meaning in their lives while building a better world.
“Fast Forward shows us how leaders at every level can use their power and purpose to help more and more women achieve their dreams for a better life.”
— Hillary Rodham Clinton
Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In ignited a conversation about women and their careers, and resonated with millions of readers. Fast Forward, by two women leaders with experience and access throughout corporate America and around the world, takes the next step. Through interviews with a network of over fifty trailblazing women, it shows women how to accelerate their growing economic power and combine it with purpose to create success and meaning in their lives while building a better world.
“Fast Forward shows us how leaders at every level can use their power and purpose to help more and more women achieve their dreams for a better life.”
— Hillary Rodham Clinton
244 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2015
30 people are currently reading
415 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 2, 2015
This book is in a way a pretty dry and research oriented written book, but it fits the content it tries to deliver!
This is not another "funny" book about how women can achieve more, this is an actual non-fiction boo about what could help women move forward faster.
This book points out gender issues, doesn't shy way from pointing out that there are still huge differences in the education, law, politics and even entertainment areas between men and women.
This book really showcases the progresses women have made, and which progresses we -women- still have to make to really be able to say that we are equal!
This book was inspiring. It was a book that really made me think about joining an organization that will help women move forward! This might be a scientifically and research based book, but to me this is a must read for every women!
* I received this copy for free in exchange for a honest review, through NetGalley, Thanks to the Publisher!*
This is not another "funny" book about how women can achieve more, this is an actual non-fiction boo about what could help women move forward faster.
This book points out gender issues, doesn't shy way from pointing out that there are still huge differences in the education, law, politics and even entertainment areas between men and women.
This book really showcases the progresses women have made, and which progresses we -women- still have to make to really be able to say that we are equal!
This book was inspiring. It was a book that really made me think about joining an organization that will help women move forward! This might be a scientifically and research based book, but to me this is a must read for every women!
* I received this copy for free in exchange for a honest review, through NetGalley, Thanks to the Publisher!*
June 21, 2016
Women's rights and women's issues are an area of interest for me, and the authors did a great job of collecting a LOT of information into a relatively short book. It is super wonky (lots and lots of numbers and data), so on the one hand it would be really tough to argue any of the points in the book because it is so well-researched and backed up by data; however, it makes it a bit tougher to read. This definitely isn't a "fun summer read," but it's interesting and informative.
September 3, 2015
This book is an excellent portrayal of the progress women are making in the world and the progress that has yet to be made. I found it incredibly inspiring and I found myself compelled to take action to forward women's causes. A must-read.
August 26, 2016
Really interesting facts, there are some parts really inspiring but just couldn't fully engage to it, maybe for some outdated events but overall it's a really good reading, down to earth, dry numbers and again really interesting stories.
October 12, 2015
Instead of walking on the well-trodden path of Lean In, etc., this book takes a drier, research-oriented tone that suits the content–though that means it won’t be compulsively readable to everyone that picks it up. This book is squarely focused on increasing the economic vitality of women in America, with a focus on professional growth, workplace flexibility, and mentoring. It talks about how an increase of women in leadership positions is beneficial from a company performance perspective, and can also benefit women lower on the rungs as they work their way into more visible corporate positions. (According to the book, increasing women’s workforce participation could raise the GDP by 5% in the United States, and in a study of 25 Fortune 500 firms with the best record of promoting women to senior positions, they also noticed higher profitability–18-69% higher–than companies with lower rates of promotion.) I enjoyed the focus on the need for women to find their own niche and power within a workplace, rather than conforming to the corporate culture likely dictated by older, white men. The anecdotes within the book are inspiring and interesting and come back to the thesis that women do better in a workplace where they are inspired and focused on a purpose larger than their own personal development. The book often expands beyond the US, looking at successes and failures in other countries. Microcredit and creating entrepreneurial training programs are discussed. While the content is valuable and fascinating, the book is written more like a thesis paper or case study and I fear that the academic tone will turn off readers before they get into the more relatable portions of the book. Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to read this advance copy in exchange for a review.
January 25, 2016
Why women? Why now? Haven't women already achieved equality? Clearly, the answer is a resounding "no." What's even more critical to realize is that, while it's true great strides have been made, there is much more to do before women can feel secure in their place in society. For those in developing countries, the situation is even more precarious.
The premise of this book rests on a simple, single fact: Although they represent the more than half the population, women today remain the great, untapped social and economic power. While this analysis has been widely accepted (and documented) by organizations like the UN, World Bank, IMF, and others, an important fact has been overlooked. When women gain social and economic power, there are "broader gains for all citizens in such areas as economic prosperity, health, early childhood development, security, and freedom" among others.
This book provides a guidebook, peppered with amazing examples of individual women taking command of their power, moving women forward each in her own way. Simply examining the appendices -- a toolkit, bibliography, and list of organizations supporting women -- makes owning the book worthwhile.
My only complaint (if one can be leveled) is that it sings the praises of former Secretary of State (and presidential candidate) Hillary Clinton a bit too much. Both of the authors worked with Clinton and so citing her work for the benefit of women may be understandable, but there are plenty of other women who have done as much, if not more, for the cause of advancing women and girls.
Overlooking that point, this book is a wonderful, inspiring look at women, purpose, and power, as well as the way ahead, both for individuals and groups. It's likely to send readers (including this one) to their electronic devices to see where they, too, can begin to help advance the cause of us all.
The premise of this book rests on a simple, single fact: Although they represent the more than half the population, women today remain the great, untapped social and economic power. While this analysis has been widely accepted (and documented) by organizations like the UN, World Bank, IMF, and others, an important fact has been overlooked. When women gain social and economic power, there are "broader gains for all citizens in such areas as economic prosperity, health, early childhood development, security, and freedom" among others.
This book provides a guidebook, peppered with amazing examples of individual women taking command of their power, moving women forward each in her own way. Simply examining the appendices -- a toolkit, bibliography, and list of organizations supporting women -- makes owning the book worthwhile.
My only complaint (if one can be leveled) is that it sings the praises of former Secretary of State (and presidential candidate) Hillary Clinton a bit too much. Both of the authors worked with Clinton and so citing her work for the benefit of women may be understandable, but there are plenty of other women who have done as much, if not more, for the cause of advancing women and girls.
Overlooking that point, this book is a wonderful, inspiring look at women, purpose, and power, as well as the way ahead, both for individuals and groups. It's likely to send readers (including this one) to their electronic devices to see where they, too, can begin to help advance the cause of us all.
January 17, 2016
I found much to like in Fast Forward: How Women Can Achieve Power and Purpose by Melanne Verveer and Kim. K. Azzarelli; however, there were times when it felt like it tried too hard to convince me to support certain companies. I liked the study of women's rights, the push for equality, and the progress that's been made. Fast Forward pushed me to think about how I can better use my life and my writing not just for the betterment of women but for all people. Verveer and Azzarelli kept a positive attitude about the fight for equal rights without dismissing the struggle still to be fought. Their work for equality interlinks with the stories of many powerful women, corporations, and foundations, and at times the overlap shines a light on the discrepancies between furthering equality and recognizing that not everyone around the world has the same issues. At other times,Verveer and Azzarelli seek to address those discrepancies with stories about the help foundations and corporations have provided. I found Fast Forward interesting, educational, and inspiring even though at times it left me with the impression of being a public relations move by the corporations, foundations, and leaders involved.
November 3, 2015
You know that book where you read a paragraph or page and realize you were daydreaming through the entire thing? That was this ENTIRE book for me. I just couldn't stay engaged. The subject matter interests me, but there was just something about the way the book was written that I couldn't get into. There was also just enough horn-tooting to affect the attitude (or what I perceived as attitude) of the book and turn me off. Sad, because I met Melanne and Kim, and truly appreciated a panel discussion I attended at which they spoke. The book just really didn't do it for me. If you're into jargon-y business books, though, this may appeal to you more. I did appreciate the case studies of women changing the world for themselves and other women. If the book had added a little more substance to that aspect and threw out less redundant information, I feel it would have felt less scattered and more cohesive. The subject matter is cohesive, but the writing just isn't. Read it or don't, I don't have a recommendation opinion. It's important material, but the book couldn't make it happen for me.
July 15, 2016
I was looking for a how-to about finding my own purpose and fulfillment in my ordinary life. I learned a lot in this book and was inspired, but it didn't do as much for the everyday American woman that I had hoped it would. A lot of great stories of women who already had influence and / or money that they could leverage. Still a great book, though. I took a lot of great notes and came up with a couple good ideas, so it was definitely worth reading.
September 29, 2015
What a powerful book! The authors (two inspiring, powerful women in their own right) give us an inspiring look at women around the world who are making a difference. They tell the stories of women and organizations that are bringing gender issues to the forefront. These include education, law, banking, politics and entertainment. I can't recommend this book enough.
February 1, 2016
This book is one of the best I have read. As a woman, I am so moved by the stories of trailblazing women who continue to pave ways for the rest of us to follow. This book makes me proud to be a woman. It really affirms my very ambitious professional goals. I too can achieve greatly like the women in this book. I too can pave a way for other women to follow.
February 12, 2016
Meh. There were some great examples of people who have taken enormous strides in closing the gender gap but overall, the book just didn't come together for me. I've read a few reviews that compare this to Lean In but Fast Forward is a far cry from Sandberg's electrifying read.
May 8, 2016
Received this book as a gift after a presentation at Georgetown. Stopped and started several times because there's a lot of info in this book, as well as some sad stories. A bit overwhelming but also very inspiring. My favorite part was the Toolkit at the end. Will refer to that again!
October 21, 2016
It was inspirational in terms of personal life stories of many women and girls but otherwise lacked some coherent storytelling. The stories were mostly just examples for some thesis. It is an important topic but the book was just a bit dull and took me quite some time to get through.
February 6, 2016
Inspiring stories that take up a little too much space.
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April 3, 2016
More inclusive than Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In, giving examples of women succeeding and failing across many professions.
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April 8, 2016650.1082 V571 2015
November 21, 2015
Writing is hamfisted and clumsy, but the material is important.
July 20, 2021
Fast Forward is a phenomenal book that highlights how women (and men) at every level can use their power and purpose to lift women up and ignite change. This book helps you recognize how we can fast forward the world by helping women and girls acheive. Women are critical agents in creating economic growth and social prosperity and the most powerful demographic group the world has ever seen. As the book states, "human rights are women's rights." Fast Forward is a inspiring story of countless women and their aspirations for themselves, their families, and their communities. At the core, it is necessary to understand that change always starts with individuals something is not right or needs to change. Success is thus a combination of personal achievement, meaning, impact, and fulfillment. Within this, the main principles to achieving success is (1) knowing your power, (2) finding your purpose, and (3) connecting with others.
In terms of employment and addressing the gender gap it is necessary that we do not marginalize any one group. According to the book, "If a country doesn't use all of its talent, its like fighting in a ring with one hand behind your back." Women want to be involved but this takes strong partnerships and mentorships aimed at producing purpose driven practices thus leading to greater satisfaction. “We know that the best predictor of human
happiness is human relationships and the
amount of time that people spend with family
and friends," Harvard professor Daniel Gilbert
told the New York Times. "We know that it's
significantly more important than money and
somewhat more important than health. Finding purpose and sharing it with the ones you loved makes for a more fulfilled life. Giving of ourselves (time and effort) is one of the best things to bring meaning into our lives, regardless or not of helping others.
Although some has changed since this book was written, the messages shared hold just as true now as they did then. Connecting ourselves to a cause larger than ourselves is one of the surest steps to a meaningful life. We all live with blinders on emphasizing the need to focus on what we take for granted. In widening frames of reference to help limit bias we can come to appreciate things we take for granted. Volunteerism and service is the best way to cultivate gratitude.
Empowering women is key to global security and growth. For men and women the first step in getting power is being visible to one another. For women to be empowered they need basic health, decision making power, and economic opportunities. An empowered women is busy making investments in people around her. Women's common interests and experiences can bridge partisan divides. For men and women the first step in getting power is being visible to one another. Women can serve as agents of change at the micro and macro level and be catalysts for change. When women rise to the top they can lift one another up.
Promoting and empowering women gives them the amibition and confidence to succeed. According to the book, women represent 70% of the world's poor.
As such, they are the majority of the world's untapped potential both economic and social. Coming to appreciate the women at all levels of the pyramid can fast forward us to a world of growth, opportunity, and progress. One can attempt to change the culture from within by providing affordable and quality care for children and elderly to reduce the unpaid care giving responsibilites, shrink the gender pay gap, and educate women.
Women should and can have it all if the world is not afraid to take action and speak out against tradition.
Women are central to peace building and the global economy if given the opportunity to shine. Education is central to that. Education and school limits violence against women and promotes livlihoods. Education is important to girls because it allows them to learn their legal rights, liberate them, and give them the opportunity to reach there full potential. In promising primary and secondary education to women and girls we not only provide a basic human right but create ripple effects and positive change in the community. More specifically, in addressing the gender gap in technology and promoting women in STEM we will have more solutions to the challenges of the 21st century. Stereotype threat builds fear and limits possibilities so in instilling confidence and providing role models in STEM we can begin to fix the pipeline. Increasing women in technology is necessary to drive social and economic progress.
Technology and mobile technology are far stretching - healthcare, finance, education and media and can empower and connect women in the developing world. Education and technology are two critical factors that can change the world and lead to women empowerment.
Fast Forward leaves us with a message of hope and passionately conveys that our moment is now.
When we empower women and girls we empower all - and we all have the power to do just that.
In terms of employment and addressing the gender gap it is necessary that we do not marginalize any one group. According to the book, "If a country doesn't use all of its talent, its like fighting in a ring with one hand behind your back." Women want to be involved but this takes strong partnerships and mentorships aimed at producing purpose driven practices thus leading to greater satisfaction. “We know that the best predictor of human
happiness is human relationships and the
amount of time that people spend with family
and friends," Harvard professor Daniel Gilbert
told the New York Times. "We know that it's
significantly more important than money and
somewhat more important than health. Finding purpose and sharing it with the ones you loved makes for a more fulfilled life. Giving of ourselves (time and effort) is one of the best things to bring meaning into our lives, regardless or not of helping others.
Although some has changed since this book was written, the messages shared hold just as true now as they did then. Connecting ourselves to a cause larger than ourselves is one of the surest steps to a meaningful life. We all live with blinders on emphasizing the need to focus on what we take for granted. In widening frames of reference to help limit bias we can come to appreciate things we take for granted. Volunteerism and service is the best way to cultivate gratitude.
Empowering women is key to global security and growth. For men and women the first step in getting power is being visible to one another. For women to be empowered they need basic health, decision making power, and economic opportunities. An empowered women is busy making investments in people around her. Women's common interests and experiences can bridge partisan divides. For men and women the first step in getting power is being visible to one another. Women can serve as agents of change at the micro and macro level and be catalysts for change. When women rise to the top they can lift one another up.
Promoting and empowering women gives them the amibition and confidence to succeed. According to the book, women represent 70% of the world's poor.
As such, they are the majority of the world's untapped potential both economic and social. Coming to appreciate the women at all levels of the pyramid can fast forward us to a world of growth, opportunity, and progress. One can attempt to change the culture from within by providing affordable and quality care for children and elderly to reduce the unpaid care giving responsibilites, shrink the gender pay gap, and educate women.
Women should and can have it all if the world is not afraid to take action and speak out against tradition.
Women are central to peace building and the global economy if given the opportunity to shine. Education is central to that. Education and school limits violence against women and promotes livlihoods. Education is important to girls because it allows them to learn their legal rights, liberate them, and give them the opportunity to reach there full potential. In promising primary and secondary education to women and girls we not only provide a basic human right but create ripple effects and positive change in the community. More specifically, in addressing the gender gap in technology and promoting women in STEM we will have more solutions to the challenges of the 21st century. Stereotype threat builds fear and limits possibilities so in instilling confidence and providing role models in STEM we can begin to fix the pipeline. Increasing women in technology is necessary to drive social and economic progress.
Technology and mobile technology are far stretching - healthcare, finance, education and media and can empower and connect women in the developing world. Education and technology are two critical factors that can change the world and lead to women empowerment.
Fast Forward leaves us with a message of hope and passionately conveys that our moment is now.
When we empower women and girls we empower all - and we all have the power to do just that.
February 23, 2020
Well researched book on the Power and Purpose that women can bring to an organization but it was also helpful in thinking about one's own Purpose. Not critical at all of the current status of women in many organizations, which I also appreciated. Much more of a reminder of the difference each one of us can make.
June 18, 2017
This book is slightly inspiring and definitely eye-opening. I don't like focusing on struggles, but I do like reading about people who have made a difference in other people's lives. The author offers both scenerios in this book.
March 9, 2021
I enjoyed it but I think the title is deceiving. It should be called “Women Who Have Achieved Power and Purpose” as it is a lot more about spect stories of women who overcame obstacles to achieve great things as opposed to HOW they did it.
July 22, 2025
This is a very good book on women empowerment and how women can achieve parity with men. Authors relay their own experiences and philanthropic work to uplift and empower women across the globe and other shining examples of courage, determination and dedication on how to improve women’s lives.
November 19, 2019
Boring / DNF
April 10, 2020
empowerment of women! amazing....
June 17, 2021
2 stars because this one is just not for me. The information is based on actual events - and I appreciate that. But I was seeking for more of a coaching or personal message.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews