Would you like to be upward-bound in your career?

I’m part of a great coaching bookclub and our last pick is a fabulous read for managers and leaders alike who want more progress, more results and more leadership opportunities.

“Act Like A Leader, Think Like A Leader” by Herminia Ibarra was written by a business school professor at INSEAD who provides both evidence and case studies to support the 5 key behaviors she believes upward-bound leaders need to cultivate. What I like about this book in particular is that the behaviors she emphasizes are easy to understand (maybe harder to implement) and backed by leading-edge research.

One of my favorite parts of the book, however, is when she talks about how the need for authenticity can get in the way of change. She makes a compelling argument that new behaviors often feel awkward and not like “who we are,” so instead of becoming better at them, we reject them as inauthentic for us. Her belief that stretching ourselves and feeling weird is part of the learning process, not a signal we are out of alignment, makes it a true must-read for all those perfectionists who don’t like to feel inept at something.