Synopses & Reviews
We need more women at the highest levels in business, government, and nonprofits—and there is no time to waste. The problem, says Helene Lerner, isn't so much that women lack confidence but that they misunderstand what confidence really is.True confidence isn't fearlessness; it's having the courage to move forward while your knees are shaking. Any woman waiting until she has enough confidence with a capital C to act never will. Lerner lays out practical strategies for beating this confidence myth, drawing on her own and other female leaders' experiences and on her survey of over 500 working women. You'll learn how to present your best self no matter how you feel inside, welcome even brutal feedback as a tool to hone your skills, avoid spreading yourself too thin by saying “no” strategically, and much more. The book features dozens of Confidence Sparks, simple but powerful exercises and techniques to catapult your career to the next level.
The playing field is not level and gender inequities persist, but the women interviewed in this book have found ways to navigate through it, and you can, too. The key to success is seizing the opportunity and acting now. Helene Lerner is here to act as your personal coach as you silence the “mad mind chatter” and take risks, speak out, and step up.
Review
POWERFUL PLATFORM: Emmy-award winning Lerner speaks to thousands of female executives each year. Her website and twitter have over 70,000 followers.GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN: Most advice to women about careers focuses on development. This book says enough!- just DO- You will never FEEL ready- but chances are you already are, so go ahead and do it!
STRONG ORGANIZATIONAL NEED: Companies and large organizations almost universally find that high-potential women leaders are losing the race to the upper ranks. This book responds to a massive need for training and inspiration to rescue lost talent.
“The Confidence Myth is the handbook for any woman looking to succeed in her career. Helene Lerner cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of what keeps women from succeeding in business—and how to get past it!”—Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul and star of ABC's Shark Tank“Helene Lerner tackles head-on the myths and truths about confidence—a hot topic linked to women's success. Her straightforward, authentic approach incorporates practical tips and exercises to help build your confidence muscle. This book is a treasure trove of advice to help advance your career.”—Sharon Orlopp, Global Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate People, Wal-Mart“
The Confidence Myth offers practical insights, tips, and tools that can help you move through your fears and spark your confidence. It's an indispensable read for women who want to become empowered and successful while staying true to their values.”—Denise Morrison, President and CEO, Campbell Soup Company“This is a powerful and heartfelt book about what it actually means to have true confidence. Helene inspires women leaders to tackle the confidence myth and provides actionable advice for women to propel their careers to the next level.” —Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Founding President and CEO, Center for Talent Innovation “The Confidence Myth is a must-read for every professional woman; it provides pragmatic advice for present and future leaders. Helene Lerner' insights are extremely valuable for any woman who wants to develop into a world-class leader.” —Ana Dutra, President and CEO, Executives' Club of Chicago“Every woman needs to read this book. It confirms you are not alone in your fears and worries while offering solid strategies to get beyond them. I started dog-earing pages I wanted to return to until I realized it would be easier just to dog-ear the ones I didn't.”—Janet Kelly, Senior Vice President Legal, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Conoco Phillips“We all struggle with knowing how to express our own value and move through our fears--This book walks women through these common struggles and helps them emerge as stronger, more confident role models. Helene Lerner's combination of both honesty and insight makes this a valuable tool for women of all ages.”
—Mika Brzezinski, cohost of MSNBC's Morning Joe Review
“Even today, women are often overly self-depreciating and under confident, especially when it comes to leadership roles. This book by Lerner (founder, womenworking.com; In Her Power) takes aim at that assertion by directly refuting six "confidence myths" that are often voiced by women. These include not feeling capable of tackling a job or project, the idea that one is either a "natural-born" leader or not, that criticism can't be handled objectively, that you have to do everything yourself, that it is too difficult to attract a sponsor or mentor, and not being able to trust your own intuition. While written from Lerner's own perspective as an author and workplace consultant, the book is also based on survey responses from 520 working women. The survey instrument and results are included in an appendix. Sprinkled throughout are a series of useful tips called "Confidence Sparks"—an additional appendix contains 30 more of these sparks, addressing areas not covered in the work's six main chapters. VERDICT A quick, practical, and appealing read about confidence boosting, with data to back it up.”—Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH, Library Journal “
The Confidence Myth is the handbook for any woman looking to succeed in her career. Helene Lerner cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of what keeps women from succeeding in business—and how to get past it!”—Barbara Corcoran, real estate mogul and star of ABC's Shark Tank“Helene Lerner tackles head-on the myths and truths about confidence—a hot topic linked to women's success. Her straightforward, authentic approach incorporates practical tips and exercises to help build your confidence muscle. This book is a treasure trove of advice to help advance your career.”—Sharon Orlopp, Global Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate People, Wal-Mart“
The Confidence Myth offers practical insights, tips, and tools that can help you move through your fears and spark your confidence. It's an indispensable read for women who want to become empowered and successful while staying true to their values.”—Denise Morrison, President and CEO, Campbell Soup Company“This is a powerful and heartfelt book about what it actually means to have true confidence. Helene inspires women leaders to tackle the confidence myth and provides actionable advice for women to propel their careers to the next level.” —Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Founding President and CEO, Center for Talent Innovation “The Confidence Myth is a must-read for every professional woman; it provides pragmatic advice for present and future leaders. Helene Lerner' insights are extremely valuable for any woman who wants to develop into a world-class leader.” —Ana Dutra, President and CEO, Executives' Club of Chicago“Every woman needs to read this book. It confirms you are not alone in your fears and worries while offering solid strategies to get beyond them. I started dog-earing pages I wanted to return to until I realized it would be easier just to dog-ear the ones I didn't.”—Janet Kelly, Senior Vice President Legal, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Conoco Phillips“We all struggle with knowing how to express our own value and move through our fears--This book walks women through these common struggles and helps them emerge as stronger, more confident role models. Helene Lerner's combination of both honesty and insight makes this a valuable tool for women of all ages.”
—Mika Brzezinski, cohost of MSNBC's Morning Joe Synopsis
This book contains a practical tool kit that will help potential women leaders reach higher levels. Helene Lerner has spoken and consulted at hundreds of companies where women struggle with confidence and the impostor syndrome--ironically, the more qualified women are, the more hesitant they are to take risky assignments. The chapters are organized around myths and truths that can either support or deter women from stepping up. Interspersed among the pages are Confidence Sparks, reflective exercises, and Power Tips to propel readers forward. While Lerner's book is built upon years of experience as a coach and mentor, her goal is to inspire and persuade women to make courageous moves, not to give statistics and research on inequality. The operative word is "NOW." Men are not waiting to step up and speak up, so women can't afford to wait for their turn.
Synopsis
Not only do we need more female leaders at the top, but we need more women at all levels of business, government, and nonprofits to step up—there's no time to waste. The problem, says Helene Lerner, isn't so much that women lack confidence but that they misunderstand what confidence really is. True confidence isn't fearlessness; it's having the courage to jump in even when your knees are shaking. Any woman who waits until she feels 100 percent confident before offering a big idea or asking for a raise or promotion will never get anywhere. Drawing on her own and other female leaders' experiences, as well as on her survey of over 500 working women, Lerner lays out practical strategies for beating this confidence myth and overcoming obstacles like gender bias. The book features dozens of Confidence Sparks, simple but powerful exercises and techniques that can catapult anyone's career to the next level.
About the Author
Helene Lerner is a prolific author, independent public television host, Emmy-winning executive producer and Fortune 500 workplace consultant. Her writing, speaking, and broadcasting cover a wide array of women's issues. Under the umbrella of Creative Expansions, Inc. the company she founded in 1994, Lerner has produced more than 20 televised specials and received American Public Television's (APT) "MVP" award for her outstanding contributions to public television. She is also the author of nine books. She resides in New York.
Table of Contents
Research shows that women consistently undervalue their skills and readiness for challenging jobs, promotions, and assignments - while men have the opposite bias. How can women compete on this tilted playing field if they talk themselves out of the game before they start? Helene Lerner tells women that NOW is the time to step up as a leader, ready or not.