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How Remarkable Women Lead: The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life
The Remarkable discoveries about what drives and sustains successful women leaders.Based on five years of proprietary research, How Remarkable Women Lead speaks to you as no other book has, with its hopeful outlook and unique ideas about success. It's the new "right stuff" of leadership, raising provocative issues such as whether feminine leadership traits (for women and men) are better suited for our fast-changing, hyper-competitive, and increasingly complex world. The authors, McKinsey & Company consultants Joanna Barsh and Susie Cranston, establish the links between joy, happiness, and distinctive performance with the groundbreaking model of Centered Leadership. The book's personal stories and related insights show you the magic that happens when you put the five elements of Centered Leadership–meaning, framing, connecting, engaging, and energizing–to work. They How Alondra de la Parra built on her strengths and passions to infuse her life with meaning and make her way in the male-dominated world of orchestra conducting How Andrea Jung, the CEO of Avon, avoided a downward spiral when the company turned down by "firing herself" on Friday and re-emerging on Monday as the "new" turnaround CEO How Ruth Porat's sponsors at Morgan Stanley not only helped her grow but were also her ballast for coping with difficult personal and professional timesHow Eileen Naughton recovered after losing her dream job, landing on her feet at Google and open to a new leadership opportunity How Julie Coates of Woolworth's Australia makes energy key to her professional success, with reserves for her "second shift" as wife and motherHow Remarkable Women Lead is both profoundly moving and actionable. Woman or man, you'll find yourself in its pages and emerge with a practical plan for breaking through at both work and in life. From the Hardcover edition.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
322 people are currently reading
5809 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
March 30, 2018
I could rename this book " Unrealistic tips for Socioeconomically Advantaged People who Excel at Corporate Management". The premise of the book is that women who are leaders follow five principles in their life:
Meaning: Do what you love! You're probably not making a fortune off what you love, so you should think about it, make a drastic career transition and success will fall into place.
Framing: All women leaders are optimistic. If you're not a successful leader you just need to think more positively.
Connecting: This section had some solid tips on networking.
Engaging: Take risks to get ahead. Which for the people featured in the book (who all went to expensive, top-ranked schools) this is valid advice. The book doesn't address the cost of risk taking for people who don't have a safety net.
Energizing: This was the worst section in my opinion. Essentially, if you feel like you can't do it all, you should do something energizing to find more energy to do more.
In addition to ignoring women who aren't from privileged backgrounds, this book references evolutionary biology as a reason that women are better at networking than men. Biology says that women "tend and befriend" while men are more combative; this is the same line of thinking that has women staying home to tend the family or says they're too emotional to be leaders.
I think this line of thinking that women can have it all is damaging. You need to be fit, an amazing present mother, and an assertive leader, and if you're struggling it's because you're not optimistic enough. It doesn't recognize maybe doing it all isn't the path to happiness for all women. It focuses on the experiences of women in corporate management and tries to force that success paradigm on academia, completely ignoring women in STEM not to mention other arenas for leadership like in the community. We also see a complete lack of recognition of the socioeconomic privilege that gave the profiled women in leadership their leg up in life.
Unrealistic book with reasonably good advice on networking and mentorship.
Meaning: Do what you love! You're probably not making a fortune off what you love, so you should think about it, make a drastic career transition and success will fall into place.
Framing: All women leaders are optimistic. If you're not a successful leader you just need to think more positively.
Connecting: This section had some solid tips on networking.
Engaging: Take risks to get ahead. Which for the people featured in the book (who all went to expensive, top-ranked schools) this is valid advice. The book doesn't address the cost of risk taking for people who don't have a safety net.
Energizing: This was the worst section in my opinion. Essentially, if you feel like you can't do it all, you should do something energizing to find more energy to do more.
In addition to ignoring women who aren't from privileged backgrounds, this book references evolutionary biology as a reason that women are better at networking than men. Biology says that women "tend and befriend" while men are more combative; this is the same line of thinking that has women staying home to tend the family or says they're too emotional to be leaders.
I think this line of thinking that women can have it all is damaging. You need to be fit, an amazing present mother, and an assertive leader, and if you're struggling it's because you're not optimistic enough. It doesn't recognize maybe doing it all isn't the path to happiness for all women. It focuses on the experiences of women in corporate management and tries to force that success paradigm on academia, completely ignoring women in STEM not to mention other arenas for leadership like in the community. We also see a complete lack of recognition of the socioeconomic privilege that gave the profiled women in leadership their leg up in life.
Unrealistic book with reasonably good advice on networking and mentorship.
June 29, 2014
I have a wish: that self help and self development could be separated at birth. Unfortunately - and particularly for women - any topic leads into an Oprah-zone of belief, aspiration, expression and self-actualization.
Often, I would appreciate an understanding of capitalism and the workplace.
How remarkable women lead is a solid book. It does contain too much over-sharing and 'inspirational role models' for my liking. There is not enough attention on how women's careers in particular were impacted by the global financial crisis. But there are some worthwhile models and modes. The capacity to 'reframe' is particularly useful. Also, there is some strong work in the second half on how to reschedule a ridiculous work schedule.
Often, I would appreciate an understanding of capitalism and the workplace.
How remarkable women lead is a solid book. It does contain too much over-sharing and 'inspirational role models' for my liking. There is not enough attention on how women's careers in particular were impacted by the global financial crisis. But there are some worthwhile models and modes. The capacity to 'reframe' is particularly useful. Also, there is some strong work in the second half on how to reschedule a ridiculous work schedule.
December 16, 2017
The book does a good job explaining the idea of centered leadership consisting five dimensions of meaning, framing, connecting, engaging, energizing. One or some of these dimensions can be seen in the stories of successful women leaders in top corporations. I won't spoil it, but I found the emphasis on framing, i.e. having a correct and objective view of what has happened, being positive/optimistic and having a healthy lifestyle , i.e. working out, having stress relief plans, and eating healthy, valuable.
The concept is explained through the stories. On the plus side, this makes you relate to the stories and see the advice played out. On the minus side, it did not communicate with a top down structure all the time- noticeable particularly in audio format. I like to clip important parts for future reference, so a summary in the end of each story would be a good addition. This would also also reinforce the actionability of the material.
The concept is explained through the stories. On the plus side, this makes you relate to the stories and see the advice played out. On the minus side, it did not communicate with a top down structure all the time- noticeable particularly in audio format. I like to clip important parts for future reference, so a summary in the end of each story would be a good addition. This would also also reinforce the actionability of the material.
March 29, 2016
I find most of the books geared towards women on this topic spend way too much time playing up the differences between the sexes. I definitely wouldn't call it a breakthrough model. The whole time you're reading this book you have the sense that you've heard this or read it before. I took away one good tip from the book in regards to how to feel more comfortable speaking up in meetings. You can definitely skim through this one.
February 23, 2016
I loved the book How Remarkable Women Lead by Joanna Barsh. It is well worth the read just because of the stories of remarkable women. The downside is that I'm not convinced about the leadership model they have developed. It didn't seem as actionable as other models I have seen.
The Centered Leadership model described in the book consists of 5 dimensions.
"Meaning. Makes it possible to reframe. It gives you the courage to step out of your comfort zone and engage with others. It creates the bond and it’s what propels you to speak up. Meaning makes flow possible." "Meaning is the motivation in your life. It’s finding what engages you, what makes your heart beat faster, what gives you energy and creates passion. Meaning enables you to push yourself to the limit of your capabilities—and beyond."
"[Positive] Framing. Unlocks the path to meaning. It creates the energy that attracts others to come on board. Framing shows you the opportunities and helps you manage the risks." (Authors cited lots of research on optimism and positive psychology.)
"Connecting. Enables you to find new opportunities that are meaningful to you. A tremendous source of energy, turning to others helps you reframe more effectively and build new capabilities. Relationships can be a source of energy, too."
"Engaging. Frees you to pursue meaning, to see the world differently, to reach out to others. It’s liberating to make choices and own the outcome—another source of new energy."
"Energizing. Helps you fill the room, attract others to you, take on new opportunities and face your fears, and have more positive impact on people who drain you of energy."
Authors interviewed more than 165 men and women around the world and teased out their similarities. However it doesn't help much in replicating that. In a lot of stories it was clear that those women had enablers for those aspects of centered leadership already in childhood. For example, some already knew in the childhood who they wanted to be: "“From primary school, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer,” says Amina. “And I stuck to it.”". Shirley Tilgham: "I'm often asked, "When did you know you wanted to be a scientist?" And my answer is always "When didn't I want to be a scientist?""
Few others grew up confident: Shirley: "I always had a fair amount of self-confidence, and that leads to a lot of very positive things. It allows you to be outgoing; it allows you to feel comfortable trying new things, unafraid of embarrassment. I think I was pretty courageous as a child thanks to this sense of absolute security in who I was, and this was because my parents gave me a sense of my true worth."
Similarly some of the other advice is not very actionable: "And often, meaning finds you (as opposed to the other way around)."
Authors write that to find meaningful work you have to find and know your strengths. For that they give a list of 24 strengths developed by some psychologists. It includes: "curiosity, love of learning, judgment, integrity, kindness and loving, citizenship, leadership, appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, spirituality" etc. How is gratitude a strength? Which career would be better for somebody whose strength is gratitude. And which career wouldn't want people with integrity? In my opinion, a much better way to find your strengths is to take Strength-Finder 2.0 test.
Otherwise it was another good reminder to do networking and building relationships, especially sponsorships. Authors also talked about importance of energy management, getting enough sleep, going to gym.
Another proof that happiness is important. "Happiness is not just a nice-to-have goal. Emotional and psychological well-being are critically important to leadership for four very practical reasons: Happiness is motivating; happier teams are more creative; Leaders who exude happiness are more effective; happiness improces physical health, as well as stamina and resilience."
"A leader who finds true enjoyment in the work and is energized by it has a positive effect on those around her. Passion, enthusiasm, and energy are infectious—mutually reinforcing when the whole team feels them."
Finally I have a citation that I can use to explain why I don't like scary movies and sad movies/news :) "In her experiments, people who experienced positive emotions by watching uplifting and funny films showed greater creativity in problem-solving—and performed better—than viewers of upsetting and sad films."
I recommend reading this book if you want to read stories of remarkable women or after you have read The Confidence Code and Strength Finder 2.0.
The Centered Leadership model described in the book consists of 5 dimensions.
"Meaning. Makes it possible to reframe. It gives you the courage to step out of your comfort zone and engage with others. It creates the bond and it’s what propels you to speak up. Meaning makes flow possible." "Meaning is the motivation in your life. It’s finding what engages you, what makes your heart beat faster, what gives you energy and creates passion. Meaning enables you to push yourself to the limit of your capabilities—and beyond."
"[Positive] Framing. Unlocks the path to meaning. It creates the energy that attracts others to come on board. Framing shows you the opportunities and helps you manage the risks." (Authors cited lots of research on optimism and positive psychology.)
"Connecting. Enables you to find new opportunities that are meaningful to you. A tremendous source of energy, turning to others helps you reframe more effectively and build new capabilities. Relationships can be a source of energy, too."
"Engaging. Frees you to pursue meaning, to see the world differently, to reach out to others. It’s liberating to make choices and own the outcome—another source of new energy."
"Energizing. Helps you fill the room, attract others to you, take on new opportunities and face your fears, and have more positive impact on people who drain you of energy."
Authors interviewed more than 165 men and women around the world and teased out their similarities. However it doesn't help much in replicating that. In a lot of stories it was clear that those women had enablers for those aspects of centered leadership already in childhood. For example, some already knew in the childhood who they wanted to be: "“From primary school, I knew I wanted to be a lawyer,” says Amina. “And I stuck to it.”". Shirley Tilgham: "I'm often asked, "When did you know you wanted to be a scientist?" And my answer is always "When didn't I want to be a scientist?""
Few others grew up confident: Shirley: "I always had a fair amount of self-confidence, and that leads to a lot of very positive things. It allows you to be outgoing; it allows you to feel comfortable trying new things, unafraid of embarrassment. I think I was pretty courageous as a child thanks to this sense of absolute security in who I was, and this was because my parents gave me a sense of my true worth."
Similarly some of the other advice is not very actionable: "And often, meaning finds you (as opposed to the other way around)."
Authors write that to find meaningful work you have to find and know your strengths. For that they give a list of 24 strengths developed by some psychologists. It includes: "curiosity, love of learning, judgment, integrity, kindness and loving, citizenship, leadership, appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, spirituality" etc. How is gratitude a strength? Which career would be better for somebody whose strength is gratitude. And which career wouldn't want people with integrity? In my opinion, a much better way to find your strengths is to take Strength-Finder 2.0 test.
Otherwise it was another good reminder to do networking and building relationships, especially sponsorships. Authors also talked about importance of energy management, getting enough sleep, going to gym.
Another proof that happiness is important. "Happiness is not just a nice-to-have goal. Emotional and psychological well-being are critically important to leadership for four very practical reasons: Happiness is motivating; happier teams are more creative; Leaders who exude happiness are more effective; happiness improces physical health, as well as stamina and resilience."
"A leader who finds true enjoyment in the work and is energized by it has a positive effect on those around her. Passion, enthusiasm, and energy are infectious—mutually reinforcing when the whole team feels them."
Finally I have a citation that I can use to explain why I don't like scary movies and sad movies/news :) "In her experiments, people who experienced positive emotions by watching uplifting and funny films showed greater creativity in problem-solving—and performed better—than viewers of upsetting and sad films."
I recommend reading this book if you want to read stories of remarkable women or after you have read The Confidence Code and Strength Finder 2.0.
May 7, 2024
A book with good intentions but I found it to be centered on heteronormative, child-centric women who all seemed to be Company Yes-Women. Too much of an emphasis on how men stuck out their necks for some of the interviewers was placed multiple times in the book as well. The type of women interviewed seemed to focus on those in business and retail - ignoring the entire blue collar and creative sectors (there was one music conductor). There was also one woman interviewed who apparently caught pneumonia from the stress of firing a chunk of her workforce after indicating some of the personnel being let go said they "understood it was for the good of the company". Give me a break.
I would be interested in a similar interview format but with more types of women, different views of what "success" means (all of these women climbed a corporate ladder and worried about titles and pay stubs it sounds like), from different industries spoken about through a post-"Me Too", post-COVID-19 mass firing lens.
I would be interested in a similar interview format but with more types of women, different views of what "success" means (all of these women climbed a corporate ladder and worried about titles and pay stubs it sounds like), from different industries spoken about through a post-"Me Too", post-COVID-19 mass firing lens.
April 21, 2016
A fascinating, informative, and eye-opening piece of work about high frequency trading. I almost dropped it halfway as I couldn't stand the unfairness happening real time in our world like I felt watching Making a Murderer. Fortunately I finished the book and it has sort of a bright ending.
A lot of thoughts went on in my head while I was reading the book. What is HFT? Why is it evil? Are there any merits of it? I tried to find counter arguments against Michael Lewis as I don't want to be biased, but in the end I still concluded that what HFT firms are doing is legal robbery. No wonder they are making so much money! No wonder they are offering $200k a year for fresh phds in my field. Then the next question comes: how many of us will take the offer?
Would I take any offer to rob a house? Probably not, but how about if it's legal and I will never get caught? Temping, but still no. But how about working in Wall Street developing algorithms and getting paid 4 times more than a post-doc? I know tons of people aspired to do it. That's why this book is so precious. The truths it reveals, no matter how ugly they are, will help us and the whole society make better decisions.
A lot of thoughts went on in my head while I was reading the book. What is HFT? Why is it evil? Are there any merits of it? I tried to find counter arguments against Michael Lewis as I don't want to be biased, but in the end I still concluded that what HFT firms are doing is legal robbery. No wonder they are making so much money! No wonder they are offering $200k a year for fresh phds in my field. Then the next question comes: how many of us will take the offer?
Would I take any offer to rob a house? Probably not, but how about if it's legal and I will never get caught? Temping, but still no. But how about working in Wall Street developing algorithms and getting paid 4 times more than a post-doc? I know tons of people aspired to do it. That's why this book is so precious. The truths it reveals, no matter how ugly they are, will help us and the whole society make better decisions.
September 27, 2018
I am really glad I read this book. It's a little too "all encompassing" for me, which means it hits a lot of topics without a lot of depth (i.e. happiness, risk taking, speaking up, flow, networking, mindfulness, confidence, etc.). But at the same time, I really appreciated the range of topics which truly are interconnected and deal directly with who you are as a person and leader. I also appreciated the support they offered, especially in the ending where they stated that they're with us in our taking the next step to be the next amazing leader that the world needs.
One thing I kind of grappled with throughout the read is my own understanding of what makes sense to me. Where do I want to grow and become a remarkable leader in my own way? I am still on that journey and it was a little hard for me to relate to the women who have already "made it" and were reflecting on their journey to get there. I just have to remember that I am in control and I need to get clear on where I want to guide myself. There were a handful of great tips/advice from this book to help me along my way, which is wonderful.
One thing I kind of grappled with throughout the read is my own understanding of what makes sense to me. Where do I want to grow and become a remarkable leader in my own way? I am still on that journey and it was a little hard for me to relate to the women who have already "made it" and were reflecting on their journey to get there. I just have to remember that I am in control and I need to get clear on where I want to guide myself. There were a handful of great tips/advice from this book to help me along my way, which is wonderful.
January 22, 2012
The advice in this book would probably have felt more groundbreaking to me if I weren't lucky enough to be in a work environment where they practice and preach a lot of these principles and really encourage career development conversations. I enjoyed the chapters written by specific women the most, though some of the summaries of interviews with different women and their life stories were good too. Also, it's largely focused on climbing the corporate ladder, so while I'm sure the concepts are applicable across all kinds of careers, you might have to work a little harder to figure out how to apply it if the corporate world is ultimately not your thing. It has a good amount of the annoying stuff that's in business/self-help books, especially those directed at women ("Women are better than men at connecting because women are the nurturers and evolutionarily..." blah blah etc.) but there are worse examples too, probably. Good for someone who wants to become an executive and has only just started their career or perhaps is stuck somewhere that they don't have a lot of support for growth.
September 30, 2012
This book had some great pieces, particularly the five areas they use as their framing: meaning,framing, connecting, engaging, and energizing. The personal stories from various women leaders were useful and this might be a good book for someone just starting out on their leadership journey. If you're interested in a different analysis of women's leadership - particularly one that really focuses on how different identities impact leadership - this isn't the book for you. The book also leans heavily corporate, which may or may not be what you're looking for.
November 18, 2017
This reminded me a lot of "Getting There", by Gillian Zoe Segal, but a lot less compelling. While some of the stories were really interesting (I particularly enjoyed reading Christine Lagarde's chapter), there wasn't much of a throughline even as the author tried to espouse Centered Leadership in the intro / conclusion. Overall, some interesting vignettes, but I didn't love it.
February 3, 2021
Well, that was a waste of money.
This book should be called: how women from rich families went to prestigious schools and universities only to realise, they have the possibility to drop everything and change their careers.
Also, in my opinion, remarkable women can be found in other fields than business.
Very little practical advice - can't believe this book has such good ratings.
This book should be called: how women from rich families went to prestigious schools and universities only to realise, they have the possibility to drop everything and change their careers.
Also, in my opinion, remarkable women can be found in other fields than business.
Very little practical advice - can't believe this book has such good ratings.
October 23, 2010
This book intertwines data and the stories of successful women in business to explain a very tactical framework for how to lead more effectively as a woman. I'm guessing this book will be a permanent addition to my arsenal of leadership tools.
April 24, 2013
Too corporate.
May 19, 2016
Loved this - stories and insights that can be applied to all stages of any career. This book will be staying on my bookshelf.
February 26, 2018
Wonderful tips on how to be a centered leader using your energy, passion, and flow.
February 26, 2025
i actually really liked this, way more than i expected. great for the aspirational corporate woman
December 29, 2015
I mostly really enjoyed this book. While it is aimed at women who work outside the home and have lofty career goals, there is so much to takeaway from this book for any woman who is in a position to lead and work well with others. I listed to it on Audible, and I was captivated by some of the stories and advice shared. The ideas and concepts can easily be translated into my philanthropic commitments and the boards of directors on which I sit.
Barsh started this project because she was looking for inspiration for her own career. Once she sat down with some of these women she realized that the stories would translate well to a larger project that many women could access. First it was a website and then a book. Each woman's journey is so different that the book never felt repetitive. The one running theme (besides ambition) was their optimism about their careers and projects that didn't go well. Each woman took failures as learning experiences and managed to use them as a way to grow her career rather than end it.
I highly recommend this book to any woman who is in a leadership role or wishes to be in a leadership role, whether professionally or otherwise. Everyone from the PTA Secretary to a Fortune 100 CEO should read this book.
Barsh started this project because she was looking for inspiration for her own career. Once she sat down with some of these women she realized that the stories would translate well to a larger project that many women could access. First it was a website and then a book. Each woman's journey is so different that the book never felt repetitive. The one running theme (besides ambition) was their optimism about their careers and projects that didn't go well. Each woman took failures as learning experiences and managed to use them as a way to grow her career rather than end it.
I highly recommend this book to any woman who is in a leadership role or wishes to be in a leadership role, whether professionally or otherwise. Everyone from the PTA Secretary to a Fortune 100 CEO should read this book.
July 4, 2015
Readers who disliked this book seem to take issue with the author's use of real-world anecdotes from female executives to illustrate her philosophy of centered leadership. To me, this is akin to objecting to too many letters in an epistolary novel, since in the case of both titles, you're likely already aware the format of the book will inform the content. I found Brash's anecdotes to be helpful on balance, and part of a well-thought out structure around individual and team leadership that a woman could easily use at any time in career. I especially appreciate this as a counterpoint to Sandberg's "Lean In," which presented a singular view in the guise of a one-size-fits-all-approach, whereas "How Remarkable Women Lead" seems to celebrate the plurality of female experience. This title avoids jargon but does talk about fears, vulnerabilities and learning to mediate emotional experiences - a language I try to speak but I admit could turn away some professionals. Overall, worth a read if you're interested; you'll take away some good tips, if nothing else.
February 8, 2010
Excellent research on women and leadership. There are many important concepts included in this book, but there were two things I will definitely remember and attempt to put into practice in my life.
First, the power of networking and the way many women approach networking. From my perspective, the gender differences pointed out in this book are accurate. The point that 75% of an individuals capital is in relationships caused me to reconsider the importance of networking.
Second, I found the chapter on physical energy compelling. For too long in my own life I have approached sleep and exercise as options or something I do when I have time or a few days off. Sleep and exercise are not options, they are necessary components for optimum performance.
All in all, a well documented and researched book with important concepts. This book was encouraging and I plan to pass it along to my sister and my son's girlfriend, who both encourage and inspire me daily.
First, the power of networking and the way many women approach networking. From my perspective, the gender differences pointed out in this book are accurate. The point that 75% of an individuals capital is in relationships caused me to reconsider the importance of networking.
Second, I found the chapter on physical energy compelling. For too long in my own life I have approached sleep and exercise as options or something I do when I have time or a few days off. Sleep and exercise are not options, they are necessary components for optimum performance.
All in all, a well documented and researched book with important concepts. This book was encouraging and I plan to pass it along to my sister and my son's girlfriend, who both encourage and inspire me daily.
May 20, 2017
~"You can't love you life from a place of fear. You have to live your life from a place of hope."
~"If you are always doing what makes you comfortable, by definition you cannot be developing."
~Find out what drains you and what makes you feel energized. Shape your day and your work around things that energize you to reach your greatest potential.
~Happiness is motivating. Happy teams are more creative, better at what they do and have less turnover.
~You can turn any job into your calling if it draws on your core strengths, engages you fully and inspires you toward a higher purpose.
~Learning to face your fears is actually the best part of accepting opportunity. When you do, you'll find they are far less powerful than they seemed. You'll also experience the lightness of being that comes with getting back in control.
The chapter on energy was excellent.
~"If you are always doing what makes you comfortable, by definition you cannot be developing."
~Find out what drains you and what makes you feel energized. Shape your day and your work around things that energize you to reach your greatest potential.
~Happiness is motivating. Happy teams are more creative, better at what they do and have less turnover.
~You can turn any job into your calling if it draws on your core strengths, engages you fully and inspires you toward a higher purpose.
~Learning to face your fears is actually the best part of accepting opportunity. When you do, you'll find they are far less powerful than they seemed. You'll also experience the lightness of being that comes with getting back in control.
The chapter on energy was excellent.
July 9, 2015
I think this is a great book to encourage women to embrace the methods of great leadership. There are a lot of positive examples (this works really well) as well negative examples (this will not work very well.) One of the most valuable assets to the book is the plethora of actionable items. The author doesn't just tell you WHAT you need to do, but how you can go about achieving your goals. The missing star in my rating is because I feel like the book is redundant and could be condensed quite a bit. I own a hardcover copy of this book but spent a lot of time listening to the Audible version. Not relevant to my rating but just a note: The reader for Audible changes her voice in a stereotypical and perhaps insulting way when she reads from their perspective. I found this annoying.
January 21, 2019
DNF @ 21%.
I couldn’t decide if I enjoy it - and a book that I truly enjoy will not make me question that.
This is a feel-good book. There are many inspiring stories of successful women, which I appreciated at first but it became sort of repetitive later and lost their effects. If like me, you are looking for practical and specific tools/techniques that you could apply and practice at work right away, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.
Most of all, I dislike the tonality of this book. Too preachy, perhaps? “In order to achieve X, you need to do Y.” It’s a turnoff for me even though I know that certain suggestions are useful.
Somehow this reminds me of Oprah’s books, which I actively avoid.
I couldn’t decide if I enjoy it - and a book that I truly enjoy will not make me question that.
This is a feel-good book. There are many inspiring stories of successful women, which I appreciated at first but it became sort of repetitive later and lost their effects. If like me, you are looking for practical and specific tools/techniques that you could apply and practice at work right away, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.
Most of all, I dislike the tonality of this book. Too preachy, perhaps? “In order to achieve X, you need to do Y.” It’s a turnoff for me even though I know that certain suggestions are useful.
Somehow this reminds me of Oprah’s books, which I actively avoid.
October 3, 2015
I'm not usually a fan of this genre, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed How Remarkable Women Lead. This book challenges the reader to--in the words of a far more eloquent reviewer--"drop the John Wayne costume." It's deeply personal. It encourages introspection and provides clear, actionable ideas to help one grow as a leader and, more importantly, as an individual. It is inspiring and practical in equal measure. It's a solid read, and I'll be taking its lessons to heart.
November 20, 2016
I found this book inspiring. The author left McKinsey in order to research the common themes and patterns followed by successful women leaders. She starts by describing those traits that are core to what she calls "centered leadership." She then devotes a chapter each to a number of different women, turning the narration over to them almost entirely. Similarly to "Lean In", I came away from the book with the feeling that I can and should pursue higher summits. This is worth re-reading, especially the early chapters.
February 24, 2017
Very interesting book. It could have been named "How remarkable people (who happened to be women) lead" but that isn't quite as snappy and probably doesn't sell it as well either.
I gained great insights from the authors' research and interviews with the leading business women of the world.
Regardless of gender, most of us want to be successful in our fields and some of us are fortunate to be married to successful women. This book highlights the challenges of work/life balance and strategies successful women have used to overcome them.
I found it very informative and relatable.
I gained great insights from the authors' research and interviews with the leading business women of the world.
Regardless of gender, most of us want to be successful in our fields and some of us are fortunate to be married to successful women. This book highlights the challenges of work/life balance and strategies successful women have used to overcome them.
I found it very informative and relatable.
May 22, 2012
I have read many business and leaderships books of late, but rarely those geared towards women. Although this book has lots to offer men who want to become remarkable leaders, it definitely speaks to the woman who has to choose how to juggle career and home. A very inspiring and well-written book with anecdotes from top female leaders that both hits home and inspires at the same time. I recommend this for every ambitious female.
January 28, 2013
What a valuable book. It started out slowly, but once you reach the five elements of centered leadership and the women's personal stories of success, it is a great resource and interesting read. Even the corresponding research notes are of interest for those who find a topic they would like to research further. I highly recommend this book for the bookshelves of any woman who aspires to be or is a leader.
November 23, 2012
Lots of good advice. I was particularly struck by the message of how important it is to be optimistic, and how 100% of the 25 women leaders interviewed for the book were optimists.
I took notes on situation framing, and how to look at negative experiences more realistically. I also took notes on reciprocity when expanding your network, and (non-material) things you can offer to someone you'd like to add to your network.
I took notes on situation framing, and how to look at negative experiences more realistically. I also took notes on reciprocity when expanding your network, and (non-material) things you can offer to someone you'd like to add to your network.
September 18, 2013
While it's nice getting tips from successful career women, I thought this book was lacking in practical advice. I did appreciate a few tidbits of information and found the Notes section at the end really informative. A more useful book to me would have been to have a book that was written more like the Notes section instead of the somewhat banal stories from various women that were more like cheerleading with unclear takeaways.
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