The book was ok. There are a number of themes in there that I have seen before such as leading with empathy and continuous self learning. I would say that if you don't normally watch TedTalks or this is your first leadership book then it's worthwhile as it's a good overview, but if you do a lot of this type of reading then it's nothing new.

This is a recently updated book since 2015 and she adds new insights from the course she has taught at INSEAD called "The Leadership Transition," on how to step up to a bigger job or more impact. Some of the key principles that frame the chapters are 1) What got you here, won't get you there; 2) Redefine your job (particularly how you spend your time); 3) Add/change your network, 4) Pay attention to how you show up (lead with empathy) and 5) Step up process. Being in the leadership development space at my job, I have seen first hand where managers fail because they don't shift from managing to leading. Many leadership programs are all about self assessment first with action plans. She argues that leaders need to act their way into a new way of thinking. We become leaders by doing the work of leadership. She describes this as "outsight'" - vs. insight. Outsight - is gaining the new experiences that stretch us because too much introspection focuses on the past. This book has summaries at the end of each chapter as well as "getting started" which I found to be practical actionable ideas. I recommend this book to all leaders who feel ready to take the next step in their career.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harvard Business Review Press for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.

I am entering the final year of my MBA, and am seeking any and all avenues for a career pivot. My MBA focus is on strategy, and Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader helped me to contemplate options to grow my network and become a more authentic leader.

I currently work in education, and often times leadership and other career self-help novels fail to address how education functions in the odd space between a public good and a business. I found Ibarra's insights throughout the book to be transferable. I plan to begin implementing her suggestions throughout the next few months to see where it takes me.