University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
The Courage to Advance
Book

The Courage to Advance

Real Life Resilience from the World’s Most Successful Women in Business

Bonnie Hagemann and Lisa Pent
Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2021
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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Concrete Examples
  • Engaging
  • Insider's Take

Recommendation

Bonnie Hagemann, Lisa Pent and their colleagues from the WomenExecs on Boards network offer a collection of truly inspiring stories of the struggles that defined and shaped them as strong women leaders. All 36 women who share their experiences here participated in the Harvard Business School network program and are passionate about Hagemann and Pent’s cause: increasing gender parity in leadership roles worldwide. Their stories expose the less glamorous side of success and demonstrate the strength women must muster to overcome adversity. These revealing narratives about how women leaders found strength and persevered will inspire readers to overcome obstacles in their path.

Summary

Successful women’s stories of triumph over adversity demonstrate important leadership lessons.

Women lack representation in the top positions at companies and within industries across the global workforce. Those who do reach the top are in a unique position to provide mentoring and foster gender equity for other women on their way up.

Women’s stories of overcoming difficulties and crafting their own leadership path illuminate the qualities leaders need, including courage, resiliency, adaptability and vulnerability.

Muster your courage to face the dangers of difficult but necessary jobs.

Leaders need to be brave to persevere in the face of danger. Consider Saniye Gulser Corat, director of UNESCO, the first woman to lead a successful Asian Development Bank project mission in Cambodia, and the first woman and social scientist to oversee the Bangladesh National Water Policy and Management Plan.

Corat became aware of gender inequality when she visited the Ivory Coast to research her doctoral thesis. She launched a company, ECI Consulting, Inc., to provide funding and solutions for international developmental...

About the Authors

Bonnie Hagemann and Lisa Pent and their colleagues in the WomenExecs on Boards network are graduates of the Harvard Business School.

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