Snowflakes Beware

Extreme You: Step Up. Stand Out. Kick Ass. Repeat – Sarah Robb O’Hagan (Harper Business)

For me the word EXTREME just conjures up the image of a millennial decked out in a brightly colored outfit either strapped to or dangling off of some kind of motorized device or board(s) of some variety, flying through the air without giving gravity a second thought. So when I read the title of Sarah Robb O’Hagan’s latest book, Extreme You: Step Up. Stand Out. Kick Ass. Repeat, I had a level of certainty that it was somehow a motivational/career advice book for the millennial set…and it the end of the day I was completely wrong and completely right!

O’Hagan has seen meteoric rises and equally high speed, epic falls during the course of her career in leadership roles and at the helm of companies like Virgin Atlantic, Nike, Gatorade and Equinox and whether riding high on the wave or face planting on the sand, she has maintained an even keel and pressed on in the face of any setback. She truly practiced what she preaches in Extreme You, putting a driving passion and a go big or go home attitude at the heart of everything she does.

Her takedown of the everybody is a winner, everyone gets a trophy world we find ourselves in, just overflowing with special Johnny’s and special Susie’s had me convinced that O’Hagan could be the perfect leader to move millennials out of their safe places and into the real world; convincing them that losing doesn’t mean you give up, suck your thumb and pull out the Play Doh. It’s time to take that defeat, learn from it, hone your skills, work harder and come back even stronger next time out.

The list of folks who would benefit from O’Hagan’s advice certainly includes those that are just starting out or are early in their careers, but even veteran leaders and mid-career path types can take the advice gathered in Extreme You, from a wide range of folks and equally diverse backgrounds and put it to work when kicking things to the next level. No you won’t have to dangle from the conference room light fixtures, but you can level up and bring the best possible you to the table.