Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader

April 1, 2015

Ibarra (Working Identity) outlines a path to successful leadership based on the idea that direct action changes the way people think. The author centers her book on the concept of outsight, the perspective created through networking and experimenting with different mindsets. The book is filled with case studies of managers who learned how to look beyond their job description and think about how their departments can work in relation to others as part of the top-level corporate strategy. Ibarra breaks down her path to leadership into three steps: redefining your job, reexamining your network, and reimagining yourself. The three chapters on this path provide valuable insight into how successful leaders view their role in the company and how they think about networking. Chapters include self-assessment exercises that help the reader find blind spots in their leadership skills. The book bridges the gap between Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson's The One Minute Manager and works such as James Kouzes and Barry Posner's The Leadership Challenge. VERDICT Offering important strategies for managers and executives who need some direction in advancing to the next level of leadership within their companies, this work is well recommended.--John Rodzvilla, Emerson Coll., Boston

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