Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader

In this book, Herminia Ibarra, a US-based business school professor, tells us that the cottage industry of leadership development based on reflection and introspection anchors us in the past, and blinds us to our potential and discovering our true selves. Rather than using traditional insight-focused methods of development, Ibarra explains the necessity of her new concept of ‘outsight’, based on developing a fresh, external perspective, and changing from the outside-in. As the title shouts, Ibarra argues we should act like a leader, before trying to think like one. Through the book she uses case studies, self-assessments, summaries and experiments to encourage the reader to change their behaviours, and she covers areas of work and life such as time management, networking, and even encourages us to be playful by abandoning our authentic self and trying on new behaviours.