Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World

by Ginni Rometty

Former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty delivers a powerful combination of memoir, leadership lessons, and big ideas on how we can all drive meaningful change.

Ginni Rometty led one of the world's most iconic companies, and in Good Power she recounts her groundbreaking path from a challenging childhood to becoming the CEO of IBM and one of the world's most influential business leaders. With candor and depth, Rometty shares milestones from her life and career while redefining power as a way to drive meaningful change in positive ways for ourselves, our organizations, and for the many, not just the few—a concept she calls "good power."

Rometty's "memoir with purpose" combines the experiences that defined her life—personal hurdles, high-stakes decisions, passionate advocacy—with the actionable advice of a coaching session to highlight lessons that shape authentic leadership. Behind-the-scenes stories and practical guidance offer us a blueprint for how we can all use good power to advance our careers, inspire our teams, improve our companies, and create healthier societies.

The book begins with raw, vivid memories from Rometty's youth and early professional years as she recalls the trauma and the role models that formed her belief that how we lead is as important as what we achieve. She learns early on that good power is a choice available to everyone, even to those without money, status, or impressive titles.

Rometty then shows us how her concept of good power evolved as she grew from a first-time manager to a transformative CEO. Stories told through the lens of five principles—be in service of others; build belief; know what must change and what must endure; steward good tech; be resilient—reveal tools that anyone can apply to achieve real change at any stage of their life and work.

Rometty also encourages us to use good power at scale to bring about urgent societal change. She shares insights from her own journey to create a more equitable world by leading the SkillsFirst movement, which connects underserved populations with family-sustaining jobs by transforming hiring, education, and training.

With heart, humility, and conviction, Good Power offers an inspiring, compelling guide to creating meaningful change in our lives.

Genres: Business, Leadership, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Memoir, Professional Development

256 pages, Hardcover

First published March 7, 2023

Reviews

[Kanchan Mandanekar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspiring? Of course yes. She has a humble background and simple yet powerful upbringing. Story of pure grit and determination. The best part of it all is, it feels very recent making her story very relatable and thus inspiring.

When she started speaking about her social impact projects and how she used her good power for them, it seriously enraptured me.

We need to talk more about the issues she is raising like the digital divide and the degree inflation and what we can do about it to take the diversity agenda more seriously. The most amazing part was how she connected the business dots to it and made a compelling story for all stakeholders - students, employers, governments and colleges. We need to give a serious thought to this if we are to let technology push us to evolve faster than ever - both as a society and economy.

Highly recommended.

[Bianca Millien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It took me a while to get through it because I was learning as I was reading and wanted to digest the content.

I don’t think this book is for everyone, however as someone that find my values, goals and core beliefs very similar to the ones outlined in this book I appreciate how Ginni weaves the story of inter connectivity between all of us.

A couple of quotes: “Feeling comfortable in my body helped me function amid chaos.”

“There’s always a way forward, so put all your energy into that. Tomorrow can always be better than today”

“The only person that can create any type of balance for you, is you.”

“… the fact is, if people don’t genuinely believe they can do something, they will never achieve that outcome.”

“The higher our goals, the harder the climb.”

‘I overheard my assistant say, “We always know when Ginni is talking to Mark on the phone because she’s laughing”.’

[Elham Nosrati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been a shorter book.

[V]

Ginni Rometty seems like a really smart leader and I really enjoyed her podcast with Lex Friedman. I had to give up on this book, however. As someone more interested in leadership than business, it got too deep in the details of IBM's business for me.

[Begum Selin Arslanbas · Rating 4 out of 5]

daha kısa yazılabilirdi ama harika bir kadın gerçekten, okurken onun gücünden zekasından büyük keyif aldım.

öneriyorum...

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

In her new book just published over 4 months ago, Ginni Rometty offers a compelling perspective on how to harness power for positive transformation. As the former CEO of IBM (she retired at the end of tumultuous 2020 after 40 years at IBM), Rometty brings a wealth of experience and insights to the table, making her book an intriguing read for leaders and aspiring changemakers. However, while there are undoubtedly valuable lessons to be gleaned from her work, some aspects of the book warrant a critical examination. Rometty's emphasis on the importance of using power for good is a notable strength, and readers will draw inspiration from this umbrella message. She presents a persuasive argument that power, when wielded responsibly and ethically, can be a potent force for positive change. By drawing upon her personal experiences and lessons learned during her tenure at IBM, Rometty provides practical examples of how leaders can make a meaningful impact in their organizations and communities. Her emphasis on empathy, compassion, and social responsibility is also commendable and serves as a refreshing departure from traditional power-centric narratives. Moreover, Rometty's book succeeds in exploring the complex dynamics of power within various contexts. From the corporate world to personal relationships, she navigates the nuances of power struggles and their potential implications skillfully. Readers gain valuable insights into identifying and mitigating abusive power structures, creating a more inclusive and collaborative environment. However, Good Power is not without its shortcomings. While Rometty presents a compelling vision of using power for positive change, the book occasionally lacks practical guidance on how to achieve this transformation and mostly states it matter-of-factly. She often dwells on abstract principles without providing tangible strategies for implementation, leaving readers wanting more actionable steps to apply the concepts in their daily lives. But perhaps this was intentional. Another criticism lies in the book's overly optimistic tone. While advocating for positive change is essential, Rometty's overly idealistic approach may overlook the complexities and resistance that real-world changemakers often face. The absence of a candid discussion about potential roadblocks and failures in wielding good power might leave some readers ill-equipped to navigate the challenges that arise when trying to enact positive change. Furthermore, Rometty's emphasis on her personal experiences at IBM occasionally verges on self-promotion, detracting from the book's broader message. Ultimately, Good Power offers an inspiring vision of using power responsibly for meaningful transformation. Ginni Rometty's extensive experience in the corporate world lends credibility to her insights, making the book a valuable read for leaders seeking to make a positive impact.

[Katey Coleman · Rating 2 out of 5]

She’s very impressive but this makes me so glad I didn’t go into business

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a female IBMer, this book was extremely interesting for me. I've always admired Ginni Rometty but this book deepened my admiration and respect for her. It starts with her explaining her humble beginnings with her father walking out on her family, her mother supporting 4 children on her own, and how her mother's resilience deeply influenced her. The book then goes into Ginni's career trajectory staring at GM and ending as IBM's 9th CEO. She describes many pivotal milestones in IBM transformation including our acquisition of PWC Consulting, the semi conductor divestiture, the Red Hat acquisition, the creation of the Managing Director role, the creation of P-Tech schools, the GTS divestiture, and many others. The end of the book focuses on her harnessing her power and network for larger societal issues like leading the SkillsFirst movement, which connects underserved populations with family-sustaining jobs by transforming hiring, education, and training. Overall, this book reminds me the value of hard work, resilience, and leveraging our power and influence for the greater good. #proudIBMer

[Hayley Hu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up because Rometty is my alumna I love the personal part of the book but got bored of advocating vocational education part at the end. The author emphasized a lot on "good power" which sounds too morally correct to be convincing haha.

[Charlotte de Bekker · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Alysse Pusey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rometty immediately captured my attention and is very open about her childhood and the hardships she faced growing up, which makes her so likable and relatable. Her personality shines through her writing, whether she’s talking about her Baba or her business strategy for increasing IBM revenues. She isn’t afraid to admit that she’s an imperfect leader, but her insight into the way she thinks and approaches problems is very telling of just how hardworking, innovative, and empathetic she is. Her insight is extremely motivating to be more thoughtful in our own work and go the extra mile to be the best we can be. I recommend to anyone looking for a boss bitch to model after.

Some parts I felt like could’ve been condensed (especially some of the business talk) but then again maybe I’m not the right audience for that🤷🏼‍♀️

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

#2023 - 06. Audiobook. I selected this book to read because I worked at IBM Consulting during her time there and I was interested in her perspectives of what was going on there. I related to that part. We’re it not for that I would have quit the book after the first several chapters - as a text book it is ok; as leisure reading it doesn’t measure up

[Ryan Nicholls · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting life story, but the single minded big corporate journey was a little twee. It felt as if there were a lot of omissions to paint a rather rosey picture of her career and the, in some case life destroying, decisions she made in the c-suite. Insights on process and systems changes were insightful. Lots I took away from this book, but disappointed by the lack of balance.

[Turquoise Brennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plenty of leadership and interpersonal skills wrapped up in the struggles the cooperate structure. Quick and easy read - a little repetitive in section three.

[Lino Matteo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Power: Thoughts
Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World
When you start reading this book by Ginni Rometty, you, too, might ask yourself, what does IBM do? Be forewarned this is not your parent’s IBM. The company has changed a lot since it was an early adopted of the desktop Personal Computer.
For better or for worse, but it seems under Ms. Rometty’s stewardship it was for the better. She understood and advocates that, “for business and technology to thrive, both must be trusted by society.” Those words seem truer today than ever.
Technology is regimenting, streaming, and controlling more and more of our lives. Banking, job searches, contracts, even work – all seem to flow via and for technological benefits of others.
But this is a book that is about much more than technology. Yes, technology is a big part of it, but not as big as people. The people she worked with, the people she grew up with, and the people she loved and loves. It is a story of struggle and strife. Amibition and determination. Happily, there is no sense of greed. No sense at look how much I made, look at how big my pile is. It is refreshing in that regard.
Ms. Rometty takes us to her roots. Her families struggle to survive. Her hard work and good luck. And how she transferred those values to run the BIG SHIP called IBM. However, that was not enough. There was a need for more and she went for it.
A need to help people learn to earn enough to sustain a family. The need for companies, including IBM, to learn that hiring required some foresight, some imagination, and some innovation. It was not enough to simply ask for 4-year college degrees.
Society needed more. Business needed more. She recognized that “the problem isn’t a lack of talent; it’s a lack of access.” And Rometty worked on creating a movement to address this need. Are we done? No, but we can’t wait for perfection we need to pursue improvement.
‘Go for it now! Our world needs you to “BE THE STORM.”’
There are many lessons in this book. This post just scratches the surface. A very worthwhile read.

Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2025...

#WellBeing #Montreal #BusinessEnglish #LinoMatteo #FinancialLiteracy @GinniRometty

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted this book to rock my socks off and it did not… as many reviewers pointed out, the book felt too long and could’ve been shorter, but I think the issue is that the book didn’t feel personal or insightful enough. Ginni — or most likely her ghostwriter — writes her memoir like she’s writing her company’s annual report. The book rattles off a list of principles and frameworks that could easily be found in a consulting deck, and lacks anecdotes to make it more personal/ interesting and outcomes to make her stories more convincing or for this book to be as inspirational as Sheryl Sandberg’s or Steve Schwarzman’s.

It might be due to NDAs that Ginni signed, but I would like to hear specifics rather than the thought process. She spends a lot of time speaking in platitudes, for example divesting the semiconductor manufacturing business and how it pained her that so many people lost their jobs… but that was it. She didn’t talk about the transition process or what she did to lighten the blow for her employees, instead spending page space focusing on why it was the right choice. We don’t need a menu of achievements…

I liked Ginni’s focus on Skills Future (like Singapore’s government) and the chapter and stories of Resiliency, but because this book felt quite de-personalized found it hard to relate to Ginni or look up to her. An example was that she is noticeably childless, and acknowledges that it plays a part in her career, but does not speak more about the glass ceiling that many working women face. She also acknowledges that she is a workaholic and has a supportive husband, but justifies that this was just part of her drive to learn continuously, while not giving any clues as to whether it was a toxic or unsustainable work culture for her teammates.

At the end of the book, I AM convinced that Ginni Rometty is a strong woman with lots of good intentions, and like every CEO was asked to make some big bets in her career (e.g., moving away from the EPS roadmap, merging with PWC Consulting etc) — but I am not convinced of other things.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a woman 20+ years into a STEM field and 10 years operating in a variety of business leadership roles, I resonate with Ginny’s strategic views of how we should look to grow and improve ourselves and then use those skills to grow others, all with a goal of improving our world.

The book was a bit dry but the content is good. I struggled with some parts, the “physical look” feedback she got from one of her leaders early on, implying her weight would hold her back in her career if she didn’t address it. As well as the emphasis on hard work (aka long hours) that is the gold standard to demonstrate ability. I don’t think either of these concepts are things I want our future world to value as key components of what it takes to become leaders in organizations. If they continue to remain standards, we will continue to lack leaders at the top that “ look like me” and continue to miss out on what is most important in life - driving the continued misperception that your job makes up who you are as a person. It’s why you don’t see many black women sitting in board rooms today. And ultimately neither of these ideals is representative of the swath of real skills and behaviors that are needed to generate the strong, engaging and empathetic leaders we need in our future. Just look at the political state of our country and our world and you can see this gap on a daily basis.

I will say I found the skills first section at the end inspiring, enough so that I plan to bring this book to my executive level HR and ask what are we doing at our company to change our mindset to skills first? Looking back, as someone with a a BS in electrical engineering and an MBA, the only real thing college taught me was how to teach myself. Everything I learned to do my job was on the job training and could have been vastly accelerated had there been a focused skills learning component of the job in those early years.

[Aliya Langley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Power is part memoir, part lessons on how to lead in a big or small way, and a book full of ideas on how "we can drive meaningful change."

I did not know who Ginni Rometty was when I picked up this book. Someone recommended we read Good Power for our book club this month, so that's how I got here. Not only did I not know of Rometty, but I also didn't know what IBM actually does in 2023 after we've seen the industry change so much. I know of IBM, as virtually everyone does, as it is still a massive company, but I only knew of it in the past, so learning some things about IBM in the 21st century was intriguing.

The memoir side of Good Power is inspiring. Rometty worked extremely hard for several years and rose through the ranks at IBM, ultimately becoming CEO in 2012. From humble beginnings to a mountain top, very impressive.

I will say, though, that this book felt all over the place at times, especially in the end. The ending honestly lowered my overall review because it had me questioning what this book was trying to be. Many of the topics discussed in this book are very important, and Rometty has a lot of influence and power, so it's good to hear from her, but squeezing all of these topics at the very end was a strange choice, in my opinion, and some of it felt random and out of nowhere. Still, I appreciated her take on such things like income inequality and racism, structural and otherwise.

Overall, a fine read with a lot of information, with Rommetty trying to pass on lessons she's learned during her 40-year career at IBM.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all - for me, it really gives me a heartache reading the author’s upbringings as the book began with this:

My memory is specific. I was sixteen when I walked into the garage of our new house and overheard my mother telling my father how desperately she needed money. “You’re not paying for anything, Nick,” she was saying, her voice echoing off the concrete walls. “We need to eat and pay the mortgage.” What my father said next upended everything for us, and for me. “I’ll never give you anything. For all I care, you can go work on the street.” Then he walked out and drove away, leaving my mother with no money, no education past high school, and no work experience outside our home. At thirty-four, she felt heartsick and terrified. She also had four kids who found themselves in an uncertain world and needed their mother to make things better.

The book dealt a lot with the author's own journey, as well as the journey of IBM’s. On the topic of IBM: IBM has become such a behemoth of organization, that oftentimes the right decision will be faced with resistance, simply because people are territorial and habitual, and are afraid of change. Many of the restructuring efforts the author did were unpopular amongst her colleagues, but obviously the right choices. Although I have my doubts with her direction towards moving IBM into Cloud as well as AI (namely, what is IBM’s competitive advantage in them compared to other firms)?

Overall a good read. Really surprised that I’d read about a powerful CEO’s hard journey growing up.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this "memoir with a purpose" on Audible. I was a little nervous that it might become just a long-winded resume. I also was concerned that I might not like Ginnys presentation, perspectives and philosophies. I compare that feeling to going on a date and not enjoying myself realizing it's not a good match. In all cases I was delighted. It was NOT a recitiation of accomplishments (though she certainly was accomplished) and her balanced, empathetic and humane orientation shined thru in all chapters. Though her experience with IBM was in the high-tech field, I kept relating to how concepts she espoused could be applied to all sorts of endeavors requiring sea changes in attitudes. For me as a former mall cop, former city planner and former mental health/vocational advocate, I appreciate the possibility of transferrance of Ginny's Good Power advocacy to criminal justice, social justice and economic development. As I kept hearing the term Good Power, I kept also hearing in my mind the phrase Good Trouble as mentioned by the late, great congressman John Lewis. Good writing is when you are inspired and when it "connects the dots" from a variety of social movements, patterns and circumstances. Ginny's book did this for me with a number of "ah ha" moments. Wonderfull read that I'm recommending for my adult kids who are in their 20's and starting their careers in business and life.

[Piers Blackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading this great book, I had questions such as how does the culture within a great and prestigious company such as IBM work so well, or how does it survive adversity and loss of prestige while changing priorities. Both were clearly answered as the story unfolds. Driven by a humble background and early adversity, the author describes how a nurturing attitude to her siblings and a caring husband shaped her passion for management and use of both talent and a committed work ethic to make a difference in people’s lives. Her initial choice of medicine as a career-path is fascinating because she proposed similar ethics of consistent caring to management of technology issues by selecting and directing policies that make a difference to outcomes and to people’s lives. Health systems such as the Cleveland Clinic and others have embraced the concept and have adopted the Skillsfirst movement for job training. Indeed, the author achieved greatness as CEO of an internationally respected company but is not done yet. The third part of the book continues her theme with concepts of job training and how an apprenticeship approach can change prevailing concepts of work as just a job or mythical superior position to an arena for ongoing education, satisfaction, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace: ingredients for “good power” that could change the world.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a woman who has worked at IBM for more than 30 years, I am thrilled to be able to receive an advance copy of this book for my honest review.

This was a very interesting book, having seen Gianni’s policies form from an employee perspective, but to learn what led her to make the decisions she did. From her childhood as one of 4 siblings whose father left, she and all her siblings were driven to work hard, all became influential members of their chosen companies. What I didn’t realize was that she has a passion for finding talented people regardless of their background or education. From starting the P-Tech program to her involvement in the OneTen group now, she continues to drive progress in Black and underserved communities for employment opportunities in tech.

It was also enjoyable reading anecdotal stories about IBMers past and present (including one unnamed individual), bringing back memories. It is what I would call a business biography, and worth the read.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

[Nere Onaiwu · Rating 4 out of 5]

You never truly understand the role an organization plays in society until you read a book written by someone within it. The terminology in this book was somewhat unfamiliar to me, as it included terms I had not encountered before. However, the book clearly showed how much IBM has done to create opportunities for many people. As a result of these efforts, countless individuals have benefited from working with the organization.

Often, we do not fully appreciate the benefits we enjoy until we read about the contributions made by people within an organization or reflect on statements and experiences shared in internal memos. These insights help us see the impact of dedication and service more clearly.

One aspect of Ginny’s story that I truly admired was the success of all her siblings. Each of them has become an outstanding professional in their chosen career. Rather than allowing their father’s absence to limit them, they turned that challenge into motivation. Having little to rely on, they pushed themselves to become the best versions of who they could be, and that is truly inspiring.

[Mark Moloney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Ginni, and as a longstanding IBMer, I have to say this is a fabulous account of IBM’s rise back to power and dominance in the tech industry. I will say I found some of the sections slightly long-winded and tangential. But overall, some really powerful lessons on resilience, building belief and what it takes to thrive in a corporate titan like IBM.

Ginni accepted roles at IBM that other people shied away from. She made decisions such as doubling down on her relationship with her husband and professional life whilst also choosing not to have kids. From this unique career trajectory emerged a set of practical, actionable insights such as:

1. What we do when no one is watching is sometimes the most significant thing

2. The spirit of good power comes from attitude and relationships. Relationships give you perspective.

3. Attitude refers to the choices we make when faced with chaos, conflict, setbacks and critics

Overall, well worth a read or a listen. I love Ginni and she’s one of the few business leaders who comes across truly authentic.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memoir of former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty. Her father abandoned her mom and siblings when she was 16, so her mom went to community college to support the family.

She wrote about her father’s abandonment in her college essay: as tragic as the situation may have been, I believe tragedy can either diminish a person or make them stronger. Today, I am not afraid to make changes to help cope with any obstacle.

Interesting but lots of common sense: build a network, have high EQ, spend more time on the As (high importance) not the Cs (low importance and usually easy), appreciating the value of learning, be prepared, on time, reliability, imitative

-growth and comfort never coexist

-Time is the most valuable thing someone can give, and you must give them value in return

[Darya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is interesting and it doesn't claim to be a role model path to success as a woman in business. I used to work in IBM during that time and this makes the story about IBM even more interesting to read about. There are some good moments described from the perspective of leadership and it was definitely curious to compare of own experience. I do like the motto of "service for" and "power of we" because they work in any business. The personal story does look engaging and motivating as well as number of years Ginni spend at IBM to reach the position of its CEO. This path required a lot of determination, hard work and support. Overall this is a good book and it helped me to reflect on some professional areas.

[Karen Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly enjoyed this part memoir/part business savvy book, who overcame a tough childhood and glass ceilings to become the first female CEO of IBM. Much of the book is a love letter to IBM and her 40-year career there (if I never hear the term "systemic change" again, it will be too soon).

I mostly enjoyed the beginning and her insightfulness into her own development - such as how she started as a poor speaker and what steps she took to improve. Also appreciated her active involvement in getting different audiences (women, minorities, less affluent) involved in tech - through actual programs such as internships, apprenticeships, and others. Many people talk about reaching the underserved, but she actually does something about it.

[Robin Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

This was an amazing book I had trouble putting down. The way that Mrs. Rometty makes her life relatable to the average person, who is not CEO of IBM, was great for someone like me. She made me want to go out and use the little bit of “good power” I have to better my own little corner of the world. She showed how the little things we do, such as making a phone call or sending a personal note, really make a difference in people’s lives and in the world we live in. The message of this book is one I will carry everywhere I go and into every circumstance.

[Reena G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Power is an insightful autobiography of Ginni Romnetty a former Chairman and CEO of IBM.
Ginni reveals her success story and how one can influence and change the world through their own efforts and actions. This book will definitely help people who are looking to improve their leadership skills in the technology and business sector.
Ginni’s personal life anecdotes that she shared are very relatable. A rags to riches honest memoir of a CEO who made it to the top is very inspiring.
Thank you Harvard Business Press for your giveaway on Goodreads. I came out much educated learning about IBM and the working behind a successful CEO

[Heidi Aschenbrenner · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book seemed to have promise when I started it. I love the concept of using our power for good. However, most of the book seemed very white-washed and like an ultra-enthusiastic endorsement of how great IBM is. Her accomplishments are of course impressive, but too much of it seemed like a detailed list of all the things that went well without any meaningful discussion of overcoming challenges or providing take-aways that could be applied to something other than being the CEO of IBM. This book went way too far into the weeds of IBM for my taste.

I was dismayed to learn that she helped give FOSTA and SESTA traction, legislation that has done far more to hurt underserved populations than to help. This legislation was unanimously opposed by the entire sex worker industry. It made me wonder how many other decisions were made without seeing all sides of an issue and thinking that she was using good power when instead she used her power to make sex workers more unsafe than they have been since the internet became prevalent.

It ended on a good note, and I am happy to see all the good she is doing in the wake of the 2020 racial reckoning. But I'm not glad I read this; I just don't think there was enough to identify with or apply to my own life.