Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader Audio CD – Unabridged, July 19, 2016

Leadership transitions are always a challenge. It doesn’t matter if you’re assuming a leadership role for the first time, assuming a new role, or working to expand your influence while staying in the role or position you have, it’s always hardFortunately, there are several good books out there to help you. I think of them as books about “shedding your old self and moving up.” Two of the best of those are Scott Eblin’s The Next Level and Marshall Goldsmith’s What Got You Here Won’t Get You There. Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader is part of that group, but different and distinctive.Herminia Ibarra says that her book is about the process of learning to be a leader. It’s not so much about what kind of leader you should want to be. It’s about the process of becoming.The Basic PremiseMost of the standard advice about how you grow into something new and learn new roles is that you start from the inside. Writers tell you to look for insight into what you are like and what you are good at. Then you should decide what you want to become. Ibarra goes back to Aristotle to recommend coming from a very different place.“Aristotle observed that people become virtuous by acting virtuous: if you do good, you’ll be good. His insight has been confirmed in a wealth of social psychology research showing that people change their minds by first changing their behavior. Simply put, change happens from the outside in, not from the inside out.”Instead of insight she labels what you’ll find starting from the outside as “outsight.” It’s what makes Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader, distinctive and effective. There are three sources of “outsight.” There are new ways of doing your work. There are new relationships that create a new network. And there are new ways of connecting to and engaging people.As I read it, I found that the process she outlines gave me different perspectives on a number of issues. It was powerful. The book is divided into five chapters, each with a specific topic and advice.Chapter OverviewsChapter 1 lays the groundwork for the rest of the book and outlines what Ibarra calls her “outsight” principle. She says that if you want to step into leadership, you have to learn to act like a leader. Because who you are today is a product of your past experiences and successes, it is hard for you to think your way into acting in the new ways you need to act. So, act first and learn from what happens.Chapter 2 is titled “Redefine Your Job.” Ibarra talks about the competency traps that we fall into when we do more and more of the things that we are good at, get praised for, and are comfortable doing. When we fall into competency traps, we miss out on opportunities to learn to do other things that are also important and that may be more important in a new situation.Chapter 3 is about networking. This isn’t the “networking” from self-help books. It’s networks as social organizations. You need to expand your network outside your current job and team, and perhaps company. You need to bring in other people who can help you make the transitions you want to make and share wisdom with you, because they’ve already been to the places you want to go.The problem with trying new things, with learning by doing and creating a new kind of you is that it often feels false. So in Chapter 4, Ibarra suggests you should be more playful with yourself. What she does in this chapter is give you ways to try on new behaviors without threatening your authentic self and to develop an authentic self that fits your new situation as well as your nature.Chapter 5 is about managing the stepping-up process. The big insight here is that stepping up to play a bigger leadership role isn’t something that you do once and then are done with. It’s a process. It takes a while. And if you understand it that way, you can keep working at it and keep developing.A Very Well Written BookThere’s a lot of good material in this book, and it’s also very well done. There are lots of good references to studies and research, so if you want to know “why” or “what science says” this is an excellent book for you. Ibarra uses helpful sidebars and chapter summaries to make key points. I particularly like the way that she has learned from teaching MBA students. That gives her a range of examples that will be familiar to most readers.Bottom LineIf you are in the midst of growing into a new leadership role, or if you are thinking about expanding your leadership influence, Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader by Herminia Ibarra is a great book for you.This review appeared first on my Three Star Leadership blog.

I don't often write reviews, but after finishing Chapter 2 of this book, I realized I just had 2 epiphanies, 2 chapters deep. Unheard of for me. So far, this book has made me realize that I need to look around me and think objectively about myself to start acting and thinking like a leader. Not only a leader, but a person in society. A leader in society. I have sticky notes littering the pages and am constantly thinking about ways I can use what Ibarra is saying in the text to act on improving my relationships (professional and personal) and work to be the best leader I can be - without boxing myself into a stereotype. I recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to improve themselves, both professionally and personally. So glad I bought this book.

The book helped me diagnose some of the difficulties in my career. But it didn't provide me with any useful corrective actions that I haven't already been doing. The prescribed actions are pretty common sense.

I bought this book several months ago, and revisited as I have been working on transforming myself as a leader. It's exactly the framework and advice I need right now.

I found this book very helpful in the process of understanding what defines a leader. I used learning from the book when I coached a direct report on what is expected at higher level roles, and what differentiate a leader from an individual contributor. Very helpful book.

I purchased this book by mistake but the few pages I did read were great! I believe this would be a great two for those looking to take up a leadership role

I've very much enjoyed the ideas in the book. I have read it rather slowly because it is very thought provoking and I like to take the time to absorb what I am learning and thinking.

Illuminating insights for leaders shifting to new, broader demands associated with stepping up to leadership roles involving responsibilities exceeding technical problem solving.

Good read

Super helpful advice. I’m glad the book was recommended to me, and I’ll pass on that recommendation myself!

Not really a fan of such books, having a more 'doing' learning style. Was recommended this by a friend and found it immensely useful.

Excellent, original thinking turning so much 'accepted wisdom' on its head. Highly recommended and confidence-inspiring.

She brings together a rich reservoir of research from various sources to support her argumentsShould be required reading for anyone in business