4 Must-Read Books if Your Sights Are At The Top

Let’s be clear.  While many doors are open now that were previously closed, we’ve not only “come a long way, baby,” but we still have a long way to go.  If you’ve got  your sights set on breaking through the glass ceiling, here’s four great additions to your reading list.

The Politics of Promotion: How High-Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead by Bonnie Marcus

“You need to get ‘real’ when it comes to how you fit into the current culture of your organization. You need to take a good hard look at whether or not you have the political savvy to thrive in such an environment, because the reality is that workplace politics can make or break your career.”

 

Pushback: How Smart Women Ask–and Stand Up–for What They Want bySelena Rezvani

“Make no mistake about it. The opposite of a nice girl is not someone who is self-centered, egotistical, or worse—she’s a smart woman. You’re a smart woman. Now, act like it.”

Ambition: Why It’s Good to Want More and How to Get It by Rachel Bridge

“It may sound counter‐intuitive but having a big ambition actually improves your chances of success. If the ultimate goal you are trying to achieve is too small, it can be easy to feel that you don’t need to make much of an effort to achieve it. Which invariably means that you don’t make any effort at all. So inevitably, nothing changes. And your ultimate goal never gets reached.”

 

Taking the Stage: How Women Can Speak Up, Stand Out, and Succeed byJudith Humphrey

“Most women are socialized to fit in—to seek self-definition through acceptance by others. And many women who acted in accordance with the expectations of others probably had an easier time growing up than I did. But if they want to get ahead in business they must confront a hard reality: their socialization has made them less comfortable than men are standing out and claiming their place in the spotlight. Only when women understand these formative influences can they move beyond their socialization and embody the mindset of a leader.”