Unlock your good power: Lessons to lead, grow, and inspire change 🦄
How Ginni Rometty turned challenges into stepping stones — and how you can too
Daniel’s verdict ✅
Ginni Rometty’s Good Power stands out for its relatability, whether you’re navigating personal challenges, climbing the career ladder, or dreaming of changing the world, there’s something actionable for every stage of life.
For millennials, it’s a wake-up call. As former CEO of IBM, Ginni’s journey is proof that you don’t need to start with privilege or a perfect plan. What you need is grit, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace discomfort.
Her lessons on “building belief” and balancing tradition with disruption feel tailor-made for a generation reshaping industries and societal norms.
The cherry on top? It’s refreshingly real. No corporate fluff, just insights from someone who’s walked the talk. If you’re serious about self-growth, leadership, or making an impact, grab this book. Your future self will thank you.
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Let’s break down the key lessons from the three main parts of Good Power — and the actions you can take to apply the learnings:
Unlocking the power of me — start with self-discovery and grit
1️⃣ Own your story to build resilience
Ginni shares how her tumultuous childhood shaped her tenacity. She learned early that hardship isn’t the endgame; it’s the launchpad for reinvention.
Take action — Reflect on your own roots: what challenges or moments defined you? Write them down and think about how these lessons fuel your purpose today.
2️⃣ Learn to thrive in discomfort
Growth and comfort don’t coexist. Rometty’s journey from a struggling family to the first female CEO of IBM proves the value of leaning into tough situations.
Take action — Identify one thing that scares or challenges you and tackle it head-on this week. Build comfort with the uncomfortable, one step at a time.
3️⃣ Commit to lifelong learning
Whether it was her mother going back to college later in life or Ginni taking on coding in her early career, the importance of upskilling is a recurring theme.
Take action — Choose a skill you’ve been avoiding or postponing and find a short course or resource to start learning it this month.
Amplify the power of we — create change at work
1️⃣ Serve others to lead effectively
Great leadership starts with empathy and a mindset of service, not authority. Rometty calls this principle “being in service of,” which means solving for others’ needs before your own.
Take action — List one thing your team, clients, or colleagues need from you and find a way to help this week, without expecting anything in return.
2️⃣ Inspire belief to drive action
Ginni mastered the art of influence, inspiring people to embrace massive transformations at IBM by focusing on vision over fear.
Take action — Craft a clear and inspiring one-liner about your goals or ideas. Test it out in your next meeting or conversation.
3️⃣ Balance tradition with change
The hardest decisions often involve knowing what to protect and what to disrupt. Ginni navigated this balance while reinventing IBM.
Take action — Map out one tradition or system in your life or work that feels outdated. Brainstorm a fresh way to modernise it without losing its essence.
Scale the power of us — make a societal impact
1️⃣ Think beyond yourself — solve systemic problems
Ginni’s focus on “skills first” hiring shows her belief in systemic change —removing barriers like degree requirements to create opportunities for more people.
Take action — Identify a barrier in your community or industry. Think of one small change you could advocate for to make a bigger impact.
2️⃣ Harness collective power to build movements
Meaningful change requires collaboration, not solo efforts. Ginni shares how aligning stakeholders around a shared purpose can spark movements.
Take action — Reach out to one like-minded person or group this week to collaborate on a cause or project you’re passionate about.
3️⃣ Stay resilient for the long game
True progress takes perseverance. Whether tackling workplace challenges or societal shifts, resilience is the secret to staying the course.
Take action — Start a resilience journal. Each night, write one win (big or small) and one obstacle you overcame. Over time, it’ll remind you of your strength.
Final takeaway: Use your good power
Ginni’s core message is that power can be a force for good when wielded with respect, empathy, and a focus on progress. Whether it’s personal growth, workplace transformation, or societal impact, the steps to change always start with you.
Now go channel that energy! What’s your first move?
