Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience, and Leadership in the Most Male-Dominated Organization in the World

Shannon Huffman Polson's book "The Grit Factor" explores the leadership lessons learned by women in male-dominated fields, featuring stories of combat and career from decorated female iconoclasts such as Heather Penney, General Ann Dunwoody, and Amy McGrath. The book is inspiring and pragmatic, offering insights and takeaways for current and aspiring leaders, regardless of gender.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 08 September 2020
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press

In a male-dominated world, what does it take for women to succeed? The answer lies in the Grit Factor. At the age of nineteen, Shannon Huffman Polson achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest woman to climb Denali, the highest mountain in North America. Her journey continued as she conquered the summits of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Kilimanjaro, and she spent over a decade exploring the world. However, it was during her time as one of the Army's first female attack helicopter pilots and later as the leader of an Apache flight platoon deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina that she gained invaluable leadership lessons that shaped her life forever.

Where did these insights originate? Polson drew upon her own experiences and those of other remarkable women. In her book, The Grit Factor, Polson aimed to connect with a select group of formidable female iconoclasts who had shared their candid stories of combat and career. This distinguished roster includes Heather Penney, one of the first female F-16 pilots who performed a suicide mission for 9/11; General Ann Dunwoody, the first female four-star general in the Army; Amy McGrath, the first female Marine to fly the F/A-18 in combat and a 2020 candidate for the US Senate; and numerous other unstoppable women who paved the way, including Polson herself.

These women held prominent positions at the highest levels within the most complex, demanding, and male-dominated organization in the world. In the post-#MeToo era, when positive role models of women leading are desperately needed, Polson brings these voices together, sharing her life lessons and theirs with storytelling flair, keen insight, and incisive analysis of current research. The Grit Factor is a captivating and pragmatic book that will inspire and enlighten readers. Its gripping narrative and relatable takeaways offer valuable insights into what it takes for women to thrive in a male-dominated world.

Weight: 466g
Dimension: 163 x 242 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781633697263