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"Push through the pushback. At age nineteen, Shannon Huffman Polson became the youngest woman ever to climb Mt. McKinley. A native of Alaska, she went on to reach the summits of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Kilimanjaro and spent more than a decade traveling the world. Yet it wasn't until she joined the military, as one of the Army's first female attack helicopter pilots, and went on to lead platoons on deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina, that she learned the secrets of leadership that changed her forever. Where did these insights come from? From her own crucibles of experience--and from other women. Polson made it her mission to become acquainted with an elite pack of tough, impressive female iconoclasts who shared their candid stories of combat and career. This decorated cast of characters includes Heather Penney, one of the first female F-16 pilots who was put on a 'suicide mission' for 9/11; General Ann Dunwoody, first female four-star general in the Army; Marine Commander Amy McGrath, first woman to fly the F/A-18 in combat and a 2018 Congressional candidate--and dozens of other unstoppable women who got there first, including Polson herself. These women learned to lead at the highest levels in the most complicated, challenging, and male-dominated organization in the world. Now, in the post-#MeToo era, when all women can break through the barriers to lead, and when all of us are looking for inspiration and guidance to change institutional progress, Polson brings these voices together, sharing her own life lessons and theirs with storytelling flair, keen insight, and incisive analysis of current, relevant research. With relatable takeaways like 'your story is your strategy' and 'push through the pushback, ' The Grit Factor is both inspiring and pragmatic, a book that will motivate current and aspiring leaders everywhere--whether male or female"--
About the author
Shannon Huffman Polson served as one of the first women to fly the Apache helicopter in the US Army. In addition to her military service, she earned her MBA at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and spent five years leading and managing in the corporate sector, at Guidant and Microsoft. She is the founder of the Grit Institute and speaks frequently on topics related to leadership, courage, resilience, and grit. She and her husband, Peter, live in Washington State and have two energetic sons.You cand find the author at
shannonpolson.com/
linkedin.com/in/shannonhpolson/
twitter.com/aborderlife
youtube.com/channel/UCX_9LcfVdTlEs48B4qkS6jw
Summary
What does it take for women to succeed in a male-dominated world? The Grit Factor.
Additional text
"…an intelligent and informative book on leadership authored by an inspiring woman is an essential addition to one's library.” — School Administrator (AASA)
Bronze Medal Winner for Best Women/Minorities in Business Book in the 2021 Axiom Business Book Awards
"… it will help inform leaders at any level who want to build strong inclusive cultures within their organizations." — Army magazine
"The book draws together both Huffman Polson's experience and that of other high ranking women in the US military. Together their insights form an easy to follow structure that allows any current or aspiring female leader to understand what really drives them and build confidence and resilience." — Financial Times
Advance Praise for The Grit Factor:
"If you aspire to become an outstanding leader, this book is a must-read." — Amy McGrath, Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps, Retired; candidate (2020), US Senate (D – KY)
"I wish the working world was such that we didn't need The Grit Factor, but we do need it. With a jillion books out there on leadership, this one is truly one of a kind, a giant and unique step forward. I can imagine it dramatically changing thousands of lives. And though men are not the primary audience, we can all learn from the amazing stories and practical steps laid out here in plain English. Bravo, Shannon Polson!" — Tom Peters, coauthor, In Search of Excellence
"Shannon Polson's story and the stories of the remarkable military women she profiles, as well as the essential leadership principles and techniques these stories illustrate, will inspire and instruct new generations of leaders in any context. A must-read." — General Charles C. Krulak, US Marine Corps, Retired, 31st Commandant of the Marine Corps
"With compelling and page-turning stories of resilience and adaptability, The Grit Factor is a groundbreaking book about women who took on the stereotypes and blew right past them. Practical, accessible, and inspirational, this is the leadership book we've been waiting for." — Sydney Finkelstein, professor, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth; bestselling author, Superbosses; host, The Sydcast
"The hard truth is that we have a long way to go before women are treated equally, at work and elsewhere. Until then, we need The Grit Factor. Shannon Polson has it, and she showcases it in the inspiring and instructive stories of these amazing women leaders." — Tina Morris, Chief Operating Officer, S&P Global Ratings; US Army veteran
