For example, the section where Ibarra explains the need to redefine your job did not provide much in terms of empowering yourself to actually be able to do this in practice. So as general counsel, there really is an important role you can play in trying to help the bottom line of the enterprise.

Packed with self-assessments and practical advice to help define your most pressing leadership challenges, this updated version of the international bestseller and Axiom Business Book Award winner will help you devise a plan of action to become a better leader and move your career to the next level. In her book ‘Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader’, Herminia Ibarra gives very practical advice about the small but impactful changes managers and executives at all levels can make to position themselves for leadership and increase their impact across their organisations. This book was recommended by some best of business list like a HBR or a Forbes or something so I added it to my queue. Great book about leadership, one of the most important points is making time to change and develop yourself from outwith. In that sense, it is heretic: it argues against SMART goals and clear objectives and paints the leadership process as an emergent effort in which goals are shaped by an iterative work on one self.Avoiding the competency trap, learning how to move away from doing what you are good at doing today so that you can be good at something else (being a leader) tomorrow. That was the point, when I started to reflect on what happen and all my knowledge came to the rescue only after the storm.

Ibarra points out that it doesn’t occur to many of us at work to reveal our personal sides and that this becomes a lost opportunity. She's too professional to 'name names', but I smiled each time I came across one as I too believe there are far too many theories, models and books published by authors whose purpose is to create a cottage industry of self-assessments - for additional purchase, of course. In summary, at 190 pages, Act Like A Leader, Think Like A Leader is an excellent, insightful and thoughtful book for leaders of any tenure to consider as they seek out new ways to redefine (and arguably refine) their leadership abilities. Carlyle Kingswood Global talks to Rob Putland, deputy global GC at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, a man busy transforming what it means to be an in-house lawyer.embody the change - using Margaret Thatcher as an example, leaders need to utilize their charisma to help get things done. To make a decision you have to understand the broader context and you have to think outside the law – then you are three quarters of the way there.

Throughout the book, Herminia takes pot-shots at the passing cars of various and overly hyped leadership theories written by what I refer to as "pop culture leadership authors".I also saw this as an opportunity to make a contribution to an issue that society was grappling with. Some bits seemed to be expressed too quickly and I wished for the author to slow down and explain a bit more, but overall, I found this to be very useful and really a legitimate help to improve a career.