Why We Love It:

Ibarra’s approach is refreshing because she challenges the traditional idea that you have to think like a leader before you can act like one. Instead, she flips it around, encouraging you to take on leadership behaviors first. By doing, you learn and grow into the leader you aspire to be. The book is filled with practical strategies and real-world examples that make it easy to understand and apply. Ibarra doesn’t just give you theories; she gives you actionable steps like expanding your network, taking on stretch assignments, and embracing change as opportunities to learn and lead.

What we appreciate most is Ibarra’s emphasis on personal development and self-awareness. She encourages you to experiment, reflect on your experiences, and adapt your leadership style along the way. It’s about evolving as a leader while staying true to who you are.

Are you ready to be a leader in action? We think Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader is a must-read if you’re ready to take charge of your career and stop leading from a throne. It’s like having a mentor who’s been there, guiding you through the challenges and successes of practical hands-on leadership with practical advice and encouragement.

Favorite Quotes:

“The paradox of change is that the only way to alter the way we think is by doing the very things our habitual thinking keeps us from doing.” – Herminia Ibarra

“The paradox of change is that the only way to alter the way we think is by doing the very things our habitual thinking keeps us from doing.” – Herminia Ibarra

“Aristotle observed that people become virtuous by acting virtuous: if you do good, you’ll be good.” – Herminia Ibarra

Book Jacket Summary:

You aspire to lead with greater impact. The problem is you’re busy executing on today’s demands. You know you have to carve out time from your day job to build your leadership skills, but it’s easy to let immediate problems and old mind-sets get in the way. Herminia Ibarra, an expert on professional leadership and development and a renowned professor at INSEAD, a leading international business school, shows how managers and executives at all levels can step up to leadership by making small but crucial changes in their jobs, their networks, and themselves.

Ibarra turns the usual “think first and then act” philosophy on its head by arguing that doing these three things will help you learn through action and will increase what she calls your outsight – the valuable external perspective you gain from direct experiences and experimentation. As opposed to insight, outsight will then help change the way you think as a leader: about what kind of work is important; how you should invest your time; why and which relationships matter in informing and supporting your leadership; and, ultimately, who you want to become.

Packed with self-assessments and practical advice to help define your most pressing leadership challenges, this book will help you devise a plan of action to become a better leader and move your career to the next level. It’s time to learn by doing.