Real Women, Real Leadership

Real Women, Real Leaders helps women seeking leadership positions learn from the experiences of real women. While there are many books on women in leadership or women who have been excellent leaders, this book stands alone as a collection of personal and relatable testimonials from a diverse group of women as they navigate the opportunities and pitfalls in the business world. Each story is framed to show the top competencies from contributors’ perspectives and sheds light on the attributes women bring to bear on leadership that differ from the contributions of men.

With a wealth of anecdotal detail, the women leaders in Real Women, Real Leaders tell their personal stories, sharing their experiences and offering guidance on topics such as balancing family and career, building alliances, mentoring and being mentored, and surmounting obstacles in the business world still dominated by men at senior management levels.

Several contributors to Real Women, Real Leaders have been interviewed and videotaped, with the recordings available on the author-maintained book web site and on a dedicated YouTube channel. A personal leadership assessment section allows each reader to determine her own strengths and weaknesses as she plans her personal leadership path. Also includes a study and curriculum guide for use in schools.

Drawn from areas such as politics, higher education, the military, technology, law, industry associations, the media, and foundations, contributors reflect a range of ages, ethnicities, and industries, including:

- Jennifer Corriero, Co-founder and Executive Director, Taking IT Global
- Lily Eskelsen Garcia: Vice President, National Education Association
- Susan Hall, President and Founder, 95 Percent Group, Inc.
- Linda McCulloch, Montana Secretary of State
- Beverly Perdue, Former Governor of North Carolina
- Shannon Peters, Vice President of Operations, JP Morgan Chase
- Darline Robles, President’s Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
- Harriet Sanford, President and CEO, National Education Association Foundation
- Eleanor Smalley: Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Office, Jason Foundation
- Susan Stroud: Executive Director, Innovations in Civic Education
- Carol Waugh: EVP of Facts on File Publishing