What do you think?
Rate this book
Becoming the Boss: New Rules for the Next Generation of Leaders – The Millennial Leader's Guide to Career Success and Professionalism
The author of Getting from College to Career reinvents the concept of management for a new generation, offering a fresh and relevant approach to career success that shows them how to make the next becoming a leader.
We are in the midst of a leadership revolution, as power passes from Baby Boomers to Millennials. All grown up, the highly educated Generation Y is moving into executive positions in corporations and government, as well as running their own businesses, where they are beginning to have a profound impact that will last for decades.
Written exclusively for Gen Y readers to address their unique needs, Becoming the Boss is a brisk, tech savvy success manual filled with real-world, actionable tips, from an expert they respect and relate to. Lindsey Pollak defines what leadership is and draws on original research, her own extensive experience, and interviews with newly minted Gen Y managers and entrepreneurs around the world to share the secrets of what makes them successful leaders—and shows young professionals how to use that knowledge to rise in their own careers.
From learning to develop a style that appeals to your older colleagues, to discovering the key trends affecting your career, to mastering the classic rules of excellence that never go out of style, Becoming the Boss helps you identify your next professional move and shows you how to get there.
We are in the midst of a leadership revolution, as power passes from Baby Boomers to Millennials. All grown up, the highly educated Generation Y is moving into executive positions in corporations and government, as well as running their own businesses, where they are beginning to have a profound impact that will last for decades.
Written exclusively for Gen Y readers to address their unique needs, Becoming the Boss is a brisk, tech savvy success manual filled with real-world, actionable tips, from an expert they respect and relate to. Lindsey Pollak defines what leadership is and draws on original research, her own extensive experience, and interviews with newly minted Gen Y managers and entrepreneurs around the world to share the secrets of what makes them successful leaders—and shows young professionals how to use that knowledge to rise in their own careers.
From learning to develop a style that appeals to your older colleagues, to discovering the key trends affecting your career, to mastering the classic rules of excellence that never go out of style, Becoming the Boss helps you identify your next professional move and shows you how to get there.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2014
63 people are currently reading
1049 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey Pollak
14 books53 followersLindsey Pollak is a New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading career and workplace experts, with a special focus on early career success.
She was named to the 2020 Thinkers50 Radar List, which honors 30 global management thinkers whose work is shaping the future of how organizations are managed and led.
Lindsey’s next book, a response to the Covid crisis, "Recalculating: Navigate Your Career Through the Changing World of Work," will be published in March 2021.
Her other books include "The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace," "Becoming the Boss" and "Getting from College to Career."
Lindsey’s speaking audiences and consulting clients have included more than 250 corporations, law firms, conferences and universities.
She has been featured in such media outlets as The TODAY Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and NPR.
She was named to the 2020 Thinkers50 Radar List, which honors 30 global management thinkers whose work is shaping the future of how organizations are managed and led.
Lindsey’s next book, a response to the Covid crisis, "Recalculating: Navigate Your Career Through the Changing World of Work," will be published in March 2021.
Her other books include "The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace," "Becoming the Boss" and "Getting from College to Career."
Lindsey’s speaking audiences and consulting clients have included more than 250 corporations, law firms, conferences and universities.
She has been featured in such media outlets as The TODAY Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and NPR.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
December 20, 2016
Valuable check list of easy to remember actions for anyone who wants to become a leader. Also for those already in a senior position managing teams. This is an unabashed synthesis of many great ideas on the subject that were proposed by various leadership gurus.
January 28, 2019
I so enjoyed this book, and would highly recommend it to anyone that recently moved into management, has a goal of becoming a manager, or even someone who informally manages or delegates tasks to peers on their team. This was a positive, yet real outlook on what it takes to be a manager of teams. It addressed so many things that have once made me nervous, like giving/receiving feedback, delegation, and how to conduct formal meetings. This book was not only fun to read, but I genuinely see myself referring back to it as a textbook of sorts throughout my career.
June 2, 2022
I would have found this book more helpful if I'd read it right when I bought it, which was also around the time it was published. But, written in 2014, the book is already considerably outdated. In addition to not being able to anticipate the massive changes to the professional world triggered by COVID, the author has the misfortune of citing a handful of now-dubious characters as positive examples. Just in the first few chapters, we had Bill Cosby, Joss Whedon, and Tulsi Gabbard.
Still, some good advice, particularly on productivity, books to read, and using LinkedIn.
Still, some good advice, particularly on productivity, books to read, and using LinkedIn.
October 16, 2018
Basic info such as:
Do I want this more than I am afraid of it?
You should build your personal brand by being visible, different and consistent.
Using people’s names, knowing how to handle tough questions, and never gossiping are essential leadership skills.
Do I want this more than I am afraid of it?
You should build your personal brand by being visible, different and consistent.
Using people’s names, knowing how to handle tough questions, and never gossiping are essential leadership skills.
August 10, 2021
Picked this up on sale. I was interested in it both for my own leadership development but also to get a sense of the challenges or recommendations that are being given to new leaders who are Millennials. It’s a good book, worth listening to. The book isn’t meant to get in depth on every leadership topic but it does do a good job of touching on the key areas at the surface level. Importantly, she explicitly lets you know where to get more information should want you want more detail. In fact, at the beginning of the book, she lists the top 15 or so business/leadership books of all time (in her opinion) and she makes reference to these books or concepts throughout. I found this very helpful.
I would recommend for new leaders and more seasoned alike.
I would recommend for new leaders and more seasoned alike.
May 28, 2019
This book was great for this time of my life. Almost all of the advice and thoughts were written for someone in my position, although with a larger staff. The only pieces of advice that I didn't find relatable were those relating to delegating and other departments (HR, etc.). I will say that most people may not find everything in this book applicable, it still has sound career advice for managing work relationship, budgeting your time, understanding/evaluating your worth, and more! As far as business books go, this one was a pretty easy read with input from many credible and successful people across various fields.
March 3, 2020
2/5
One would think a Yale alumna has something more to add to the silo of old chestnuts like know yourself, manage your time well, delegate, seek mentors, mentor others, etc. One would be mistaken. The author's championing of the Myers Briggs Personality test, and the 41 Questions 1 Personality test, both less than psychometrically valid, goes some way towards explaining the book's warm reception among business and management literature audiences; among whom such 'sciency' woo is de rigueur, even as superior tests like ones based on the Five Factor Model of personality languish in academic obscurity.
One would think a Yale alumna has something more to add to the silo of old chestnuts like know yourself, manage your time well, delegate, seek mentors, mentor others, etc. One would be mistaken. The author's championing of the Myers Briggs Personality test, and the 41 Questions 1 Personality test, both less than psychometrically valid, goes some way towards explaining the book's warm reception among business and management literature audiences; among whom such 'sciency' woo is de rigueur, even as superior tests like ones based on the Five Factor Model of personality languish in academic obscurity.
January 24, 2019
I don't exactly fit into the millennial generation (I'm in the misfit X-ennial group) so I don't know that I'm the best one to speak about a book geared for millennials, but I will say that by and large, while the narrator used some weird pronunciations of acronyms (gif and fomo were individual letters, but IRA was stated like the name of the well-known NPR host) there's excellent ideas, strategies, resources and advice available to anyone that wants to launch OR fine tune their leadership skills in the here and now.
September 21, 2025
Read this as research for an upcoming training retreat. As an established (and millennial) supervisor this was a relatable read. Not totally new or unique concepts from other leadership books but its tone and delivery was specifically written to speak to millennials. Some concepts are a bit dated, or rather showed their age, but most was still very relevant or easily applicable. I highlighted a lot to reference as it ties in established pro-help hits, but again makes it relatable to our generation.
August 22, 2021
The book is quite easy to read. Beside of foundation skills the a leader should have - which can be found in leadership books. “Becoming the boss” puts leader in 4.0 era so it has some very updated points that is totally different with previous generations leader such as build brand in online platforms, host meetings online...
In the end, it is a good instruction for whom want to become leader in self or others.
In the end, it is a good instruction for whom want to become leader in self or others.
January 30, 2021
Lindsey Pollak spoke on our campus and she was great - then I got this free book! I found it overall helpful with lots of practical advice for now and later. I even marked things and took some notes (unlike me). And I finished it at the perfect time, days before a restructure, new boss, and new supervisee. I’ll be bringing advice from the book to work on Monday.
September 21, 2018
New fav. Not everything was perfect for millennials and I think she missed some things (like that we break down the barrier between personal and professional life) and overexaggerated other things (like how to social media) but... one of my favorites.
January 16, 2019
Your path to successfully getting started in leadership
Want to get into leadership? This book is a great resource. Packed with practical advice and great tips that can be put into play right away.
Want to get into leadership? This book is a great resource. Packed with practical advice and great tips that can be put into play right away.
July 1, 2019
I do not know if Lindsey is a Millennial or not, but I do know she gets us. The book was a modern take on a often discussed topic. After taking on a new Supervisor role I learn a lot and leaned into this book for much of its practical application.
December 29, 2021
Every book by Lindsey Pollak offers great insight as to how to be better employees, volunteers, students, leaders, and people. She offers practical advice, relatable stories and examples, and ongoing encouragement.
May 17, 2017
Broad sweeping generalizations and nothing very original here. If you haven't read much leadership, this may be ok.
February 16, 2018
The first 1/2 is about personal branding and less about transitioning from individual contributor to boss. Good advice as a whole.
February 27, 2018
This book came in the right time when I got my first job. Lindsey's insights on becoming the next millennial leader are phenomenal.
May 12, 2018
Interesting book. Leadership for millennials. Gave me some very good insights.
May 12, 2018
It’s mostly common sense.
September 29, 2018
Would highly recommend for new leaders to read as soon as possible to taking on a leadership role.
April 1, 2019
كتاب جيد للمدراء وخاصة الجدد
October 25, 2019
Very easy read and extremely informative. The resources at the back of the book were also pretty helpful. I highly recommend it
January 13, 2020
Loved this book! Full of practical insights on leadership development.
January 19, 2021
I think the advice is a little outdated and moves slow
December 31, 2021
ENDED THE YEAR WITH A BANG
December 7, 2022
Great book for someone looking for tips on how to accelerate their career.
November 14, 2023
Nice and motivating overview of tips for guiding your career if you are interested in leadership. Lots of focus on networking and using social media.
August 9, 2015
Good book.
4 Generations
Traditionalists (1922-1945)
Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
Gen X (1965-1981)
Millennials (Gen Y) (1982-2000)
“What’s measured improves.” - Peter Drucker
“Breakdown amorphous blobs of undoability (e.g. write a book) into manageable, measurable steps (e.g. write the first sentence).”
When facing fear: “Decide that you want to do it more than you are afraid of it.”
Good answer for what is your greatest weakness? “Well, I try to regularly assess my skills, and I recently identified ______ as an area where I need improvement. I read a great book on the subject and took an excellent six-week class at the nonprofit resource center. I was able to improve my skills quickly, practice them often, and now I feel much more confident as a grant writer.”
Top qualities of a leader:
Intelligent 2. Ethical 3. Passionate 4. Charismatic 5. Empathetic 6. Financially Astute 7. Healthy 8. Persuasive 9. Competitive
“Sleep your way to the top.” -Arianna Huffington
Ask WWLD: What would a leader do?
Secret of Great Communicators: Totally face/square up with the person who is talking.
Always launch a listening tour when you start a new job.Secure Early Wins.Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
How do I manage people I don’t like? Treat the Annoyer as your teacher.
Ask people frequently, like NYC Mayor Ed Koch, “How am I doing?”
5 People you Need
Traditional Mentor
Co-Mentor- mentor an older person.
A sponsor.
A peer.
Mom/Dad
Do not ask someone to be your mentor! Ask for help with a specific project, and then over time the relationship will grow organically.
4 Generations
Traditionalists (1922-1945)
Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
Gen X (1965-1981)
Millennials (Gen Y) (1982-2000)
“What’s measured improves.” - Peter Drucker
“Breakdown amorphous blobs of undoability (e.g. write a book) into manageable, measurable steps (e.g. write the first sentence).”
When facing fear: “Decide that you want to do it more than you are afraid of it.”
Good answer for what is your greatest weakness? “Well, I try to regularly assess my skills, and I recently identified ______ as an area where I need improvement. I read a great book on the subject and took an excellent six-week class at the nonprofit resource center. I was able to improve my skills quickly, practice them often, and now I feel much more confident as a grant writer.”
Top qualities of a leader:
Intelligent 2. Ethical 3. Passionate 4. Charismatic 5. Empathetic 6. Financially Astute 7. Healthy 8. Persuasive 9. Competitive
“Sleep your way to the top.” -Arianna Huffington
Ask WWLD: What would a leader do?
Secret of Great Communicators: Totally face/square up with the person who is talking.
Always launch a listening tour when you start a new job.Secure Early Wins.Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
How do I manage people I don’t like? Treat the Annoyer as your teacher.
Ask people frequently, like NYC Mayor Ed Koch, “How am I doing?”
5 People you Need
Traditional Mentor
Co-Mentor- mentor an older person.
A sponsor.
A peer.
Mom/Dad
Do not ask someone to be your mentor! Ask for help with a specific project, and then over time the relationship will grow organically.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews