Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World

Rarely do I find a CEO memoir that actually touches my heart. The story about Rometty’s mother facing her father’s departure in the garage was so raw it stayed with me for days. It frames her entire career at IBM through a lens of resilience and determination that feels entirely earned. I loved the concept of 'Good Power'—the idea that we can lead with empathy without sacrificing our professional edge or results. Her passion for the 'skills-first' movement is palpable and gave me a new perspective on degree inflation in tech. Some might say it’s a bit IBM-centric, but when you spend forty years there, that’s your canvas for change. It’s an inspirational guide for anyone trying to navigate high-stakes environments with their integrity intact. Truly, this is a vivid journey through a life built on pure grit.

After hearing about Rometty’s 'skills-first' initiative, I knew I had to pick this up. This book provides a compelling argument for why we need to move past traditional degree requirements to create a truly inclusive economy. I was enraptured by her focus on social impact projects and how she managed to connect business goals with societal needs so seamlessly. It’s refreshing to see a leader who doesn't just talk about diversity but builds systems to facilitate it. The writing is incredibly polished, making even the complex parts of IBM’s evolution feel like a vivid journey. Her stories about finding balance amid chaos really resonated with my own struggles in leadership. If you want to see what 'stewardship' actually looks like in practice, this is the book to read. It's a masterclass in leading with purpose and heart.

This isn't just another business book; it’s a blueprint for ethical transformation. I was struck by how Rometty weaves together her personal narrative with her professional philosophy to create something that feels both urgent and timeless. The way she describes the garage scene with her mother and siblings really grounded the entire story in a sense of real-world struggle. It’s not just about being a CEO; it’s about how anyone, from any background, can choose to use their influence to lift others up. Her passion for bridging the digital divide comes through on every page, making the technical sections feel like a moral mission. I found the book deeply readable and honestly quite moving in its portrayal of resilience. This is a must-read for anyone who believes that business can, and should, be a force for good in our messy world.

Wow, the opening chapter about her mother and the garage really set the tone for this whole read. It immediately humanized a woman I only knew as a high-powered executive. Seeing the pure grit it took for her to navigate those early years makes her eventual success at IBM feel much more relatable and inspiring. The book does a fantastic job of defining what power should actually look like in the 21st century—collaborative, inclusive, and purpose-driven. I was particularly impressed by the section on how technology can either widen or close the wealth gap depending on how it's deployed. It’s a vivid journey that feels very relevant to the social and economic challenges we are facing today. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to lead with both their head and their heart, regardless of their current industry.

Ginni Rometty’s 'Good Power' is a fascinating look at the intersection of empathy and executive leadership. Truth is, many business books feel like a list of sanitized successes, and while Rometty does highlight her achievements, she connects them to a larger moral purpose. The way she describes the digital divide and our collective responsibility to bridge it felt urgent and necessary for today's climate. I appreciated her self-awareness regarding her privilege later in life, even coming from such a humble, difficult background. However, I did find myself wanting more specific, actionable steps for the average manager who isn't running a global tech giant. The concepts are great, but sometimes they hover in the realm of abstract principles rather than daily tactics. Still, it’s a well-written account that advocates for an ethical approach to power that we desperately need more of right now.

Finally finished this, and I'm left with a lot to chew on regarding my own career path. Personally, I found the early sections about her grit and determination during her upbringing to be the most engaging parts of the memoir. She avoids the typical 'hustle culture' cliches and instead focuses on how her past shaped her views on using power for good. The discussion on navigating resistance within a behemoth organization like IBM was particularly insightful for anyone working in a legacy company. My only real gripe is that it runs a little long in the middle, and some of the chapters felt a bit repetitive in their message. To be fair, her dedication to the 'Good Power' framework is admirable, even if it feels a bit idealistic at times. It’s a solid read for anyone looking to lead with a conscience.

As someone who has worked in tech for two decades, I found the discussion of IBM's evolution quite nostalgic. Ginni Rometty offers a unique perspective on what it takes to steer a massive ship through stormy waters while maintaining a sense of social responsibility. Her focus on 'skills-first' hiring is probably the most practical takeaway for modern HR departments and hiring managers. I appreciated her candor about the difficulties of changing a corporate culture that is set in its ways. While some chapters felt a bit like a sales pitch for IBM’s AI capabilities, her underlying message about 'Good Power' remained consistent throughout. It’s a compelling read, even if it’s a bit light on the specific 'how-to' for lower-level management. Overall, it’s a great memoir with a very strong moral compass that many leaders could learn from.

While I respect the author’s massive career at IBM, this book felt a bit too much like a corporate victory lap for my taste. Look, her personal story of overcoming a traumatic childhood is undeniably powerful and serves as a great hook for the first few chapters. But once the narrative shifts into the weeds of IBM’s restructuring and the move toward AI, it loses its relatability for the general reader. I was hoping for more 'how-to' on using power in small ways, but instead, I got a lot of high-level strategy that only applies to C-suite executives. The prose is clear and professional, yet it often feels like it's been through a heavy legal or PR filter. It’s a decent read if you’re interested in corporate history, but it didn't quite deliver the personal transformation guide I was expecting.

To be fair, the writing style is vivid and the journey is impressive, but it could have been trimmed down significantly. Frankly, I felt like I was reading an internal IBM newsletter for about forty percent of the book. Ginni Rometty is clearly a brilliant mind, and her message about using power for positive transformation is one that every modern leader should hear. However, the book often gets bogged down in the minute details of corporate shifts that don't translate well to those outside of the tech industry. I did love the quotes she included about creating your own balance and finding comfort in your own skin during chaos. Those moments of personal reflection were the highlights for me. I just wish the whole book had maintained that level of intimacy instead of drifting into high-level business jargon that felt alienating.

Not what I expected from someone talking about 'good' power. I picked this up hoping for an ethical guide, but I found the discussion of her involvement with FOSTA and SESTA very troubling. These pieces of legislation were opposed by those they supposedly protected, yet Rometty presents her advocacy as a simple win for social good. This lack of critical examination regarding the side effects of her power made the rest of the book feel quite white-washed. While her rise to the top of IBM is impressive, much of the narrative feels like a curated list of successes without a deep dive into genuine failures or missteps. The writing is professional, but the content felt detached from the realities of the marginalized communities she claims to want to help. I just couldn't find enough to identify with here to justify the time spent reading.