Nonprofit Book Review: Lead From the Outside, by Stacey Abrams

You probably already know who Stacey Abrams is, but you may not know about her newest book. So, let’s fix that.

Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change is not your average leadership book. This book is written with the ‘other’ in mind- the individuals on the margins that don’t fit the stereotypical leader archetype. The people that have had to imagine their own futures with no representation to show them it’s possible. Boldly intelligent and capable individuals that, either because of their skin color, their gender, their sexual orientation, a disability, or another attribute entirely (as that list of “otherness” can go on for quite some time), have had to get creative to beat the odds to reach their goals.

The journey to becoming a leader isn’t the same for those on the outside. So while a cis, white, middle-aged private company CEO might have enough good advice to fill a couple leadership books, oftentimes that advice only works if you are already on the inside. If the game is rigged against you, you have to take an entirely different (and harder) path to get to the same destination as those that have benefitted from this system. Stacey Abrams recognized this gap in the literature, and so wrote this book for the rest of us.

This book is a one-stop shop for minorities that want to take that next step in their careers, to do something that has never been done before, and to set a new standard of possibility for the next generation. Abrams addresses real issues- like gaining entrance, work-life balance, financial acumen, finding mentors, identifying fears, and taking power- and addresses each aspect comprehensively.

“We use the fire of our passions and the angst of our opposition to push past the boundaries of what we can expect of ourselves and what the world expects of us. We can harness this energy to lead from the outside and make real change. This is our power.” Stacey Abrams

Not only is this book extremely valuable for minorities looking to gain entrance and take power, but this book is also immensely helpful and provides unique insight to those with privilege that want to do better and fix the system at large. Allies and minorities both will benefit from Stacey’s Abrams insights in this book. Together, armed with this knowledge, we can break the systems that have denied entrance to those on the outside.

Lead from the Outside offers valuable lessons in becoming a great leader for those that do not benefit from privilege, and insights for all on the barriers and institutionalized inequality that are keeping great leaders on the outside.

Order Lead from the Outside here