Books by Dr. Jane Horan
Why I chose to write these books
There’s a connection weaving across all three book. My first book, I Wish I’d Known That Earlier in My Career, the power of positive workplace politics examines the idea of political savvy as a critical, leadership skill – rarely taught but always in demand.
Facilitating talent discussions, political savvy became a core component of leadership for the next generation of talent and the next level of responsibility. Facilitating workshops in political savvy, I saw the need to explore savvy across cultures, generations, levels, and gender. I wanted to write a book that would be easily consumed, practical in approach, on a topic that I felt was needed to ensure organisations have the right talent across all levels.
At the time of writing this book, I was also conducting doctoral research women leaders across the Asia Pacific Region and the Middle East. This ethnographic study explored leadership in business, academics, and non-profits. Each interview revealed different perspectives on political savvy, unconscious bias, navigating formal and informal networks, perseverance or grit, resilience, doubt and finding purpose at work.
Palgrave MacMillian published this study, “How Asian Women Lead, Lessons for global corporations.’’ This book examines the life stories of four uniquely different women leaders looking beneath the surface to show cultural and family perspectives. I believe once we understand the individual in the organisation, we gain a new perspective on leadership in order to build an inclusive work environment. This new perspective embraces diversity, inclusion, belonging and purpose.
My third book, Now It’s Clear, the Career You Own, is based on this doctoral study and years of coaching leaders, managers and individual contributors in career transition. Most if not all expressed a desire to find a meaningful role at work and a purpose-driven career. This book offers a way to find purpose at work every day.
My hope is that these books help to foster a greater feeling of “belongingness” in organisations – creating more meaningful work and experiences.
Now It's Clear: The Career You Own
Do you find yourself thinking that there must be much more to life, but not certain what it is you really want? Or do you know what you want, but not sure how to get there? The desire to find meaning and purpose has been pondered since time immemorial.
Now It’s Clear answers these questions by taking you on your own journey through the past to become acquainted with the present, in order to make decisions about your future. This book will set you on a path of discovery to find purpose, uncover strengths, be comfortable with doubt, navigate resistance, build a network of support and share your story at any stage in your career.
Using a mix of insights from business, psychology, philosophy, poetry, and leadership research, Now It’s Clear with show you, step-by-step, how to better understand yourself and your purpose. It’s an insightful and uplifting guide, filled with creative exercises, reflective questions and practical tips to reveal the what, why and how of meaningful work and how to share your career story.
Based on her work and research of over twenty-five years, Jane Horan has had the opportunity to listen to stories across cultures, industries and levels, from those transitioning into leadership to returning to work or in-between jobs. By connecting the dots from such stories, Horan shows us the visible patterns and themes in order to find purpose at work, every day.
Now It’s Clear is quite simply a wonderful book, written in an elegant and engaging voice. I found myself captivated by Jane’s story and the lessons she has to impart. I know women around the world will benefit from her wisdom.
How Asian Women Lead:
Lessons for Global Corporations
As global corporations spread across Asia to establish positions and market share, they frequently overlook organizational and human capital challenges. Their system for leadership selection has allowed for a very small percentage of women in decision-making roles, reflecting outdated processes through a Western lens often ill-suited for Asian markets.
How Asian Women Lead provides a vastly different picture than Western-focused leadership literature, highlighting obstacles Asian women face reaching the top, and looking beneath the corporate surface to show cultural and family perspectives.
Through her research and the stories of four uniquely different women leaders from varying Asian economies and industries, Horan offers a new perspective to help business leaders and human capital professionals understand leadership diversity, build inclusive and engaged organisations, and sustain success.
A must read for policy-makers, businesses, educators and women who are interested in ensuring women in Asia achieve their full potential in the workplace and beyond.
I Wish I'd Known That Earlier in My Career:
The Power of Positive Workplace Politics
The must-read guide to understanding corporate politics in order to get ahead
Designed to provide the reader with an understanding of corporate politics from a positive perspective, I Wish I’d Known That Earlier in My Career uses case studies to teach the essentials of organizational dynamics, power networks, and the decision-making processes and dilemmas involved in business. Examining corporate politics and the barriers many managers face in their efforts to reach the top, the book works to build awareness and strategies for business and career success.
Taking a refreshing new approach to workplace politics, the book presents new ways to think about embracing opportunities in order to achieve personal and organization-wide career satisfaction. Rather than encouraging employees to move on and start their own businesses, it instead details how to move up within their current companies by learning to understand power bases and conversation more thoroughly.
- Combines individual case studies and real life situations with helpful tips and techniques designed to help overcome corporate challenges
- Each chapter tells a story that illustrates a constructive concept that can be easily learned and applied in the real world
- Covers topics including: political savvy, the benefits of self-promotion, performance management, sexual harassment, and other organizational challenges
Essential reading for anyone looking to move forward in their professional life, I Wish I’d Known That Earlier in My Career provides genuinely helpful advice in a highly accessible, easily applicable way.
Anyone working in an organization of more than one will benefit from this very readable book on "politics". Often a derogatory term, politics and the ability to understand and manage power is an important leadership skill essential to getting things done and reaching goals for any organization. Readers will enjoy the many case studies as they reflect on how they can improve their own interpersonal skills.