The Glass Ledge: How to Break Through Self-Sabotage, Embrace Your Power, and Create Your Success

(Hardback)

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We've all heard of the "glass ceiling" for women. Yet even for women who break through the societal barriers to success, there's another danger: the glass ledge. "When the very qualities that help us achieve greatness turn into self-defeating behaviors, that's when we trip over the glass ledge," teaches Iman Oubou. "Yet we don't need to lose ourselves to become the ideal image of a hardworking, camera-ready woman. There is a better way to fulfill our dreams-one that allows us to be ourselves, on our own terms." With The Glass Ledge, Oubou offers a disruptive guide that explores the 10 most common themes around which women tend to derail themselves. Each chapter focuses on one of these self-sabotaging themes, incorporating counterintuitive and eye-opening information, as well as anecdotes from the author's personal journey, stories from other high-profile, successful women, and scientific research about why we act the way we do-and how to reclaim the story of our lives. While societal norms around gender dynamics have shifted, there's still a long way to go. "We don't have to wait for the culture to change for us," Oubou says. "Each of us has the power to change the beliefs and behaviors we don't want." The Glass Ledge is a practical and inspired call for any woman who wants to rewrite the narrative of success-and pay her efforts forward into the world.

Reviews

"...an encouraging program for women on overcoming obstacles to professional and personal development...The well-chosen anecdotes backed up by science add some heft to the accessible and enjoyable advice. Readers will enjoy Oubou's empowering message and practical plan." --Publishers Weekly

"The Glass Ledge provides a simple yet balanced perspective that will help women rewrite their inner dialogue, reject who they have been told to be, and become who they are meant to be." --Gretchen Carlson, acclaimed journalist, cofounder of Lift Our Voices, bestselling author, empowerment advocate

"Self-sabotage is a slippery slope, and what's the best way to catch your footing Iman Oubou's brilliant new book, The Glass Ledge. If you're a woman and feel that you're getting in your own way, this book can catch you before you fall out of balance." --Fran Hauser, former president of Time Inc. Digital, startup investor, author of The Myth of the Nice Girl

"Having questioned myself more than anyone else would ever question me, I know firsthand the negative impact that self-doubt and impostor syndrome can have on your career. Even after making it to the C-suite, these challenges remained a part of my everyday life. For many of us, this is a lifelong struggle, and the struggle is very real. The Glass Ledge lays out the ten ways women derail themselves and how they can leverage these holdbacks to propel themselves forward to success. This disruptive guide is a must-buy for every woman looking to reach her potential." --Heather Monahan, bestselling author of Overcome Your Villains

"It's easy to get in your own way, especially when you don't even realize you're doing it. With a world that's constantly trying to reshape us, it's no wonder so many women struggle to silence their voices of self-doubt and self-sabotage. The Glass Ledge is about deprogramming yourself from the idea that you are powerless (and deserve to be). It's a brilliant manifesto for navigating a patriarchal world without compromising yourself." --Liz Elting, cofounder and former co-CEO of TransPerfect, Forbes Richest Self-Made Women list

"The Glass Ledge is a much-needed guide to help women cultivate positive self-talk, cut the noise, and become who they truly are." --Ashley Stahl, career coach, bestselling author of You Turn

"In The Glass Ledge, Iman Oubou explores the phenomenon of self-sabotage that women tend to wield on themselves as they're breaking through the glass ceiling. By sharing her own personal and professional experiences, and with the guidance of many iconic women around the world, she lays out the rationale for why we as women allow ourselves to get in our own way and, even more importantly, offers the very simple steps and homework we should all do to acknowledge and mitigate the glass ledge. This book is funny, thought-provoking, insightful, and a great resource to successfully navigate this wild world as a woman looking to create change." --Allyson Witherspoon, vice president and chief marketing officer of Nissan U.S.

"This book not only teaches us to re-evaluate ourselves and our circumstances, but it also shows us how to extract insight from our most damaging habits so we can step out of our own way and step into our potential." --Evy Poumpouras, former US Secret Service agent, author of Becoming Bulletproof

"As women, self-sabotage and imposter syndrome can easily creep into our mindset and, at times, even derail our trajectory to success. The Glass Ledge offers guidance on how to pave a new path on your own terms while embracing your true, authentic self along the way. A must-read for women in all stages of their careers!" --Cindy Eckert, founder and CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals and The Pink Ceiling

"The Glass Ledge is essential reading for making the shift from being your own worst enemy to becoming your own best friend." --May Busch, former COO for Morgan Stanley Europe, executive coach, speaker, author

"Iman Oubou nails it! The Glass Ledge says the quiet parts aloud. This book really allows women to sit in self-reflection, self-acceptance, and self-accountability at the same time. My favorite chapter addresses one of the buzziest business concepts of the moment: authenticity. Iman plainly and boldly identifies authenticity as the current gold standard for leadership, and then she articulates our frustrations. What does authenticity really mean And how do we lean into our authenticity when we are still figuring out who we REALLY are
This book answers these questions and more with simple, transformative and empowering guidance. It's organized, easy to process, and an energetic read. The Glass Ledge is THE book for all women looking to live their professional dreams while being true to themselves and their personal happiness." --Eboni K. Williams, attorney, journalist, Real Housewives of New York cast member

"How do you prove your value in a fundamentally unequal environment How do you navigate rooms where you are underrepresented Author Iman Oubou tackles these common challenges with psychological insights and practical grit. At a time when more corporations are talking up diversity, Oubou confronts how external limits can be internalized--and why deeper progress means not only changing how businesses are run but also changing the way we think. The Glass Ledge contributes to an important conversation for everyone who cares about equality--from workplaces to across our society." --Ari Melber, host of MSNBC's The Beat with Ari Melber

Author Bio

Iman Oubou is a Moroccan American entrepreneur, former beauty queen, and published scientist on a mission to change the women's media landscape. Through her diverse experience with business, pageantry, and STEM, Iman noticed gender disparities in the workforce and an omnipresent bias across printed and digital media. She founded SWAAY, an all-in-one publishing platform for women, to champion the voices of female change-makers through the power of storytelling. She lives in New York City.