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More than Ready: Be Strong and Be You . . . and Other Lessons for Women of Color on the Rise
Advice and inspiration for women of color seeking new heights of influence, from the "incredible" top Latinx advisor to President Obama (Jennifer Palmieri, author of Dear Madam President).
Women of color are becoming more visible and more powerful than ever, achieving higher levels of success and blazing new paths for future generations. These women are pioneers, finding their own way in otherwise white-dominated arenas.
As the first Latinx to direct national domestic policy issues, Cecilia Muñoz knows the difficulties of getting ahead without exemplars to follow. In More than Ready, she offers readers lessons from the challenges she faced and the victories she achieved in the White House, with wise advice like
Keep your elbows sharp: Hold your ground when others seek to devalue your contribution.
Defend kindness: Elevate empathy in the workplace and beyond.
Leverage failure: Turn losses into gains by embracing the benefits of the experience.
Full of invaluable insights about working through fear, overcoming injustices, and facing down detractors, More than Ready provides the tactical tools women of color need to reach unprecedented levels of power and success -- without compromising who they are.
Women of color are becoming more visible and more powerful than ever, achieving higher levels of success and blazing new paths for future generations. These women are pioneers, finding their own way in otherwise white-dominated arenas.
As the first Latinx to direct national domestic policy issues, Cecilia Muñoz knows the difficulties of getting ahead without exemplars to follow. In More than Ready, she offers readers lessons from the challenges she faced and the victories she achieved in the White House, with wise advice like
Keep your elbows sharp: Hold your ground when others seek to devalue your contribution.
Defend kindness: Elevate empathy in the workplace and beyond.
Leverage failure: Turn losses into gains by embracing the benefits of the experience.
Full of invaluable insights about working through fear, overcoming injustices, and facing down detractors, More than Ready provides the tactical tools women of color need to reach unprecedented levels of power and success -- without compromising who they are.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2020
29 people are currently reading
1023 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 20, 2026
This was so empowering. Thank you to my dad for the great recommendation
August 3, 2020
I read this inspiring book at a serendipitous time. Cecilia Munoz goes out of her way to say that each one of us has something to offer, and a voice that’s worth hearing as we struggle to build a more just, kinder, and inclusive society. She shares generously from her own experience with setbacks, frustration, and self-doubt and offers helpful perspective on how to work through these. Her book is a good reminder that in addition to working hard we need to take steps back as needed to better see the big picture and to nurture ourselves for the work of trying to live out our ideals.
August 31, 2020
In full transparency, I worked for Cecilia at New America, in her post-White House years and was a member of the inaugural cohort of Public Interest Technology Fellows.
So many of the things she says in this book, she lived in practice. Don’t let her petite size fool you because she is a powerhouse and her advice in this book proves this.
I love her storytelling and ability to lift up the voices of so many others with thoughtful advice that accompany those stories.
So many of the things she says in this book, she lived in practice. Don’t let her petite size fool you because she is a powerhouse and her advice in this book proves this.
I love her storytelling and ability to lift up the voices of so many others with thoughtful advice that accompany those stories.
July 6, 2020
As an immigrant woman in public service this book is inspirational! I wish there was someone like Cecilia Munoz around when I first started my career. With insightful thoughts and experiences I highly recommend this book to anyone who feels different in the workforce.
July 5, 2020
Part memoir and part stories full of sage counsel. Invaluable not just for women of color but for all who are committed to diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplaces and worlds.
July 6, 2020
great book for women wanting desiring to lead organization and for men who desire to see woman succeed.
April 11, 2021
Great read for any woman at any point in her career. Cecelia Muñoz offers leadership lessons and also hard earned advice. Got some super helpful perspective.
November 4, 2020
Thought this would be a good read for Hispanic Heritage Month in the US but this book was not available through my library/my hold did not come in time. Anyway, I thought it would be interesting to read the story/book of Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Obama and what she learned in this job. We also get bits and pieces about her life, lessons she learned and the like.
As you might have guessed, this book isn't a traditional memoir or self-help but rather a mishmash of both. The book is roughly divided up chronologically and via headers that describe various lessons and how her life experiences led her to serving in the Obama administration, what she learned from them, what it was like sometimes being the only woman of color or only Latinx, etc. in the room.
So if you're looking for a biography of her, this isn't quite it. If you're someone thinking of getting into politics or are curious what her path looked like, this might be more for you. I would say many of these lessons aren't "new" necessarily but may come across differently vs. perhaps other people (namely, many white men) who were in similar positions.
Overall I would say it was interesting to learn more about her, but I wasn't blown away by the text, which wasn't always the most compelling read. But it's an important book that might be a great read for Latinx people looking to get into politics, serve at the White House, etc. for an insider look and understanding what it might be like.
Library borrow for me and that was best.
As you might have guessed, this book isn't a traditional memoir or self-help but rather a mishmash of both. The book is roughly divided up chronologically and via headers that describe various lessons and how her life experiences led her to serving in the Obama administration, what she learned from them, what it was like sometimes being the only woman of color or only Latinx, etc. in the room.
So if you're looking for a biography of her, this isn't quite it. If you're someone thinking of getting into politics or are curious what her path looked like, this might be more for you. I would say many of these lessons aren't "new" necessarily but may come across differently vs. perhaps other people (namely, many white men) who were in similar positions.
Overall I would say it was interesting to learn more about her, but I wasn't blown away by the text, which wasn't always the most compelling read. But it's an important book that might be a great read for Latinx people looking to get into politics, serve at the White House, etc. for an insider look and understanding what it might be like.
Library borrow for me and that was best.
March 1, 2021
A quick, easy-to-read book that surprises with its honesty and authenticity, Muñoz doesn’t write anything you don’t already know: ask for feedback. Harness your strengths; empathy is one of them. Failure is fuel. Find a mentor and a network. Presentation matters.
What she does differently is make her advice feel as though it’s part of a conversation that focuses especially on the more uncomfortable parts of integrating life and work - a reality other leadership books tend to gloss over. While targeted specifically at women of color, this book would be well worth the read for anyone who’s ever felt self-doubt, fear, “imposter syndrome,” or like they’re not good enough to speak up - Muñoz shares just enough about her own story for it to feel both humanizing and like an actual model from which to build. She doubles down on this approach in her chapters on family and life outside of work - I loved that she broke these into two, as “life outside of work” often means “family,” though I’ve never thought this to be quite fair. Frankly, I would love more time to focus on passions or quality time with my family doing the things we love, as opposed to the endless cycle of cooking, laundry, doctor appointments, and logistical maneuvering that “family time” is so often code for. Good on her for advocating for that as part of a leadership model - if only we were all so lucky as to be able to put it into practice.
What she does differently is make her advice feel as though it’s part of a conversation that focuses especially on the more uncomfortable parts of integrating life and work - a reality other leadership books tend to gloss over. While targeted specifically at women of color, this book would be well worth the read for anyone who’s ever felt self-doubt, fear, “imposter syndrome,” or like they’re not good enough to speak up - Muñoz shares just enough about her own story for it to feel both humanizing and like an actual model from which to build. She doubles down on this approach in her chapters on family and life outside of work - I loved that she broke these into two, as “life outside of work” often means “family,” though I’ve never thought this to be quite fair. Frankly, I would love more time to focus on passions or quality time with my family doing the things we love, as opposed to the endless cycle of cooking, laundry, doctor appointments, and logistical maneuvering that “family time” is so often code for. Good on her for advocating for that as part of a leadership model - if only we were all so lucky as to be able to put it into practice.
March 1, 2021
Mostly a reminder that women run into a lot of obstacles that I never had to deal with, but also an uplifting story of a woman who (when she asked people she trusted for honest feedback) had a tendency to be more self-effacing than works for a leader and who admits that her work ethic is overdeveloped. A good reminder that the people working in the White House are working impossible hours under impossible pressure, and need to be people with overdeveloped work ethics.
Although the marketing is toward women of color, the advice she shares seems to come from every kind of person, including white men, and would be applicable to any driven leader wanting to do great things for the world, or anyone who works for or with that kind of person.
Although the marketing is toward women of color, the advice she shares seems to come from every kind of person, including white men, and would be applicable to any driven leader wanting to do great things for the world, or anyone who works for or with that kind of person.
July 29, 2021
Ceclia Muñoz's book is a must-read for anyone in public service. I listened to this audiobook that was narrated by the author. A few of my key take-aways:
1. Mentor and nurture younger staff, always.
2. Support people of color and those with less privilege and power.
3. Celebrate the wins, even if they're not as great as we wanted. Progress is progress, even when it's small.
4. Learn how to recharge. Pursuing deep, meaningful societal change is hard work, so know when to take care of yourself and set boundaries. It's through moments of recharging that you can keep going year after year, challenge after challenge.
1. Mentor and nurture younger staff, always.
2. Support people of color and those with less privilege and power.
3. Celebrate the wins, even if they're not as great as we wanted. Progress is progress, even when it's small.
4. Learn how to recharge. Pursuing deep, meaningful societal change is hard work, so know when to take care of yourself and set boundaries. It's through moments of recharging that you can keep going year after year, challenge after challenge.
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August 13, 2024I'm not going to rate this book since it's not one that I would expect to enjoy. It's perfectly good, for the type of book that it is. It's just that I'm not at a point in my life where I'm looking for advice on how to be a young woman starting a professional career.
That said, I think it could really come in handy for younger women and younger women of color who are looking for advice and inspiration.
That said, I think it could really come in handy for younger women and younger women of color who are looking for advice and inspiration.
December 21, 2020
A great and helpful book with plenty of personal testimony about what it’s like to walk that fine line of moving into positions of power as a Latinx. I loved what she had to say about finding your North Star. I read this for Ntosake training, and it was very helpful in this age of Zoom, perhaps more helpful than the Zoom training itself, much as I love Ntosake!
January 25, 2022
As a woman of color in public policy, I was inspired by Cecilia Muñoz’s career and life story. Honestly it made me feel terrible at times but that’s my fault for comparing myself to her remarkable work ethic and talent. Her perspective and advice was affirming and inspiring—made me want to double down and work that much harder to be heard, and speak to the truth of my experiences.
August 1, 2020
For any women of color, this is a must read! It is very inspiring.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews