92nd out of 120 books
—
104 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Mistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect on What They Got Out of Getting It Wrong” as Want to Read:
Mistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect on What They Got Out of Getting It Wrong
High-achieving women share their worst mistakes at work—and how learning from them paved the way to success.
Named by Fast Company as a "Top 10 Book You Need to Read This Year"
In Mistakes I Made at Work, a Publishers Weekly Top 10 Business Book for Spring 2014, Jessica Bacal interviews twenty-five successful women about their toughest on-the-job moments. These innovators ...more
Named by Fast Company as a "Top 10 Book You Need to Read This Year"
In Mistakes I Made at Work, a Publishers Weekly Top 10 Business Book for Spring 2014, Jessica Bacal interviews twenty-five successful women about their toughest on-the-job moments. These innovators ...more
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Mistakes I Made at Work,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Mistakes I Made at Work
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
2,706)
A promising concept, but disappointingly flimsy on the ground. I was drawn to the theme and to what I could see of the interviewee list (Ruth Ozeki! Kim Gordon!), but, with rare exceptions, found a lot of the accounts disappointingly insubstantial -- more of a primer/introductory volume for young women just starting out in the workforce than for seasoned professionals. This may be because Bacal is the Director of Smith College's Center for Work and Life, so college-aged women are her usual audie
...more
A revolutionary idea --- talk about mistakes and what you learned from them! And then ask well-known women to contribute! Great premise executed well. I enjoyed reading about the various experiences, backgrounds and professions and could see the commonality of professional women navigating organizational and relational challenges. The chapters that I found most helpful 25 years into my career are the ones about giving oneself time to really understand what will make one happy at work and life --
...more
I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I'm in a reading group in law school where we read about and discuss gender equality in the legal professional and business world, so I've been reading a lot of these types of books lately and this one didn't initially stand out to me. By the end though, I found myself really enjoying the essays and finding all kinds of life tips for the future. I read a digital galley, but I'll be buying a hard copy to keep on my shelf as soon as it comes ou
...more
Good, but not memorable. Much better books for women in the workplace (Selena Rezvani’s Pushback, for one). It’s refreshing to hear stories about bouncing back from low points, but not all mistakes are created equal. A lot of the women featured equated “mistakes” with “risking potential failure” and they aren’t the same thing. At all.
Mistakes I made at Work is a must-read. Not only is the author's voice (in the preview sections of each of the four parts) really accessible and down-to-earth, the essays themselves are priceless. They are easy to digest and end with "tips" which are great take-away messages. I book-marked and highlighted at least a third of the book to return to (for myself or my students whom I mentor).
The book itself is a collection of essays by 25 really successful women. Part 1 is about telling your own sto ...more
The book itself is a collection of essays by 25 really successful women. Part 1 is about telling your own sto ...more
My main takeaway from this book was that nobody has it all figured it out. Even people at the very top have had failures.
This book includes lots of interesting stories of women at work. It is a pretty quick read.
It was indeed useful to read stories of failures. That way I think it is easier to embrace your own failures down the road. That’s important, otherwise it might hold you back and you don't end up doing anything, thus failing before starting.
Good piece of advice for passion: "If you don ...more
This book includes lots of interesting stories of women at work. It is a pretty quick read.
It was indeed useful to read stories of failures. That way I think it is easier to embrace your own failures down the road. That’s important, otherwise it might hold you back and you don't end up doing anything, thus failing before starting.
Good piece of advice for passion: "If you don ...more
The mistakes themselves were not such a big deal, I just liked hearing from other women and have them own up to mistakes. Makes me feel human in a sea of humans
Note: the narrator on the audiobook was not great
Note: the narrator on the audiobook was not great
I enjoyed this book but many of the essays were from writers so it wasn't representative of many careers-- it was especially low on examples of women in STEM fields. Additionally, almost all of the essay-writers were connected to Smith College in some way and all were college educated. While the book had some valuable lessons, I felt a lot of these women were allowed to take big risks and learn from failures because they had significant safety nets.
I liked the vignettes so much that the library said I spilled too much coffee on the book. I made a mistake and had to buy them a new book.
This was such an excellent book. I actually found myself taking notes! I would recommend this book to every person I know...regardless of gender...seriously. A quick, entertaining read with a wealth of knowledge to boot! I'd like to own this book.
“Mistakes I Made At Work” is an excellent book, a collection of essays by some truly extraordinary and accomplished women, who do something utterly refreshing and ultimately revolutionary - they speak about what they did wrong and what that meant to them.
“Any bias you face is complicated by being female.” Dr. Shirley Malcom
The essayists are writers and politicians, rockstars and activists, entrepreneurs and scientists, mothers and executives, all dedicated to what one of them calls the “growth ...more
“Any bias you face is complicated by being female.” Dr. Shirley Malcom
The essayists are writers and politicians, rockstars and activists, entrepreneurs and scientists, mothers and executives, all dedicated to what one of them calls the “growth ...more
This book perked my interest because I am what you would consider a middle-manager at my work place. My education was based on direct patient care, not on management issues. So I was very interested in what these accomplished women who provided narratives on their mistakes in the workplace had to say. We learn from our mistakes, and perhaps we can learn from others. This book is set up with narratives, stories in these women's own words. It's as though the person is sitting across from the table
...more
*I received a digital galley of this book through Penguin's First to Read program.
Many of the chapters are really informative and have tips that would be applicable to different types of women entering the workforce in any given field. I found that the chapters that had very little to do with my chosen profession had some of the most memorable and useful advice. However, others chapters are less universal and seemed less aware of the privilege of the interviewee. Although there are a few section ...more
Many of the chapters are really informative and have tips that would be applicable to different types of women entering the workforce in any given field. I found that the chapters that had very little to do with my chosen profession had some of the most memorable and useful advice. However, others chapters are less universal and seemed less aware of the privilege of the interviewee. Although there are a few section ...more
This book hit me at the right time. I really enjoyed reading of other women's experiences in the working world and how they choose to navigate issues as they arose.
I always find it very hard to rate non-fiction books, unless I am so enthusiastic about what I have learned from them or how entertaining they've been that I can honestly give them 5 stars. With this book, I went into it with the wrong expectations. I had seen it referenced in an article saying it was a humorous must-read, and I got this image in my head of similar books I've read which collected snippets of amusing tales and clever commentary. This was just... way more serious than I'd thought,
...more
(Got an uncorrected proof of this book through the First Reads program.)
I think this is a light but really great book. It is light (sometimes a bit too light...I'd have liked a bit more depth in some of the chapters) reading, very conversational and relatable, and does a good job at what I think is it's main point: demonstrating to women that they are not alone in making, obsessing over, and struggling to learn from their mistakes. (I also think that young men would find this useful, especially ...more
I think this is a light but really great book. It is light (sometimes a bit too light...I'd have liked a bit more depth in some of the chapters) reading, very conversational and relatable, and does a good job at what I think is it's main point: demonstrating to women that they are not alone in making, obsessing over, and struggling to learn from their mistakes. (I also think that young men would find this useful, especially ...more
I didn't technically finish this. I don't usually rate books I don't finish, but I did not get much out of this book, although this probably had to do with it not being suited to the audiobook format. The sections were poorly delineated, so it wasn't clear whose perspective you were hearing. I wish the author had written it all from her perspective and kept the tone more cohesive and consistent. The narrator was inappropriately chipper at times. (It was like a kindergarten teacher telling her st
...more
I found this book very inspirational and motivational.
"It never occurred to me to try to write a perfect book, or one that was better than another writer's book. I just thought, 'I'm going to write a book,' and I knew it would be one that no one else could write, because no one else is me."
- Lisa Lutz
"I've since learned that taking a 'screw that' attitude doesn't allow for growth. These days, if a criticism upsets me, I'll ask for a break. For example, I might say, "I'm really feeling what you'v ...more
"It never occurred to me to try to write a perfect book, or one that was better than another writer's book. I just thought, 'I'm going to write a book,' and I knew it would be one that no one else could write, because no one else is me."
- Lisa Lutz
"I've since learned that taking a 'screw that' attitude doesn't allow for growth. These days, if a criticism upsets me, I'll ask for a break. For example, I might say, "I'm really feeling what you'v ...more
A quick read that probably won't solve your work-related problems but may resonate.
It's divided into four sections: Taking Charge of Your Narrative, Learning to Ask, Learning to Say No and Learning Resilience. The hardest lesson for me is Learning to Ask.
Women interviewed for this book include Ruth Reichl, Ruth Ozeki and Cheryl Strayed. But also included were top businesswomen such as Joanna Barsh; attorneys such as Lani Guinier; and engineers such as Cori Latham. These women discuss shame, in ...more
It's divided into four sections: Taking Charge of Your Narrative, Learning to Ask, Learning to Say No and Learning Resilience. The hardest lesson for me is Learning to Ask.
Women interviewed for this book include Ruth Reichl, Ruth Ozeki and Cheryl Strayed. But also included were top businesswomen such as Joanna Barsh; attorneys such as Lani Guinier; and engineers such as Cori Latham. These women discuss shame, in ...more
This is a wonderful book. It even has a chapter in it for public speakers everywhere. The book showcases twenty-five successful women, giving them a forum to talk about the mistakes they’ve made, especially early on in their careers. I guess these are smart, successful women so they made fewer mistakes as they went on. I’m envious; I seem to keep making mistakes.
What’s great about the book is that the women telling stories in it actually do talk about their mistakes, instead of the usual, oh isn ...more
What’s great about the book is that the women telling stories in it actually do talk about their mistakes, instead of the usual, oh isn ...more
We've all made mistakes, some of which are hugely embarrassing. So I give kudos to these women who generously confessed professional mistakes they made--and some of them are real whoppers. The point of this book by Jessica Bacal is to find out what these women learned from those mistakes and how it changed them. In a society that values perfection and ridicules to the point of shaming those who err publicly, this book elevates mistakes--even lauds them--because of the good that can come out of t
...more
This book was recommended to me by another friend who also works in a male-dominated industry. I like that there were many different opinions and stories shared by many different women as opposed to listening to only one or two women describe their mistakes and what they learned from them. There is a lot of good advice and I feel it would be beneficial for someone starting their first job (or even while still in college or even High School) but I also found many sections to highlight myself and
...more
I thought this was a great book. It reads well, and I felt jam-packed with valuable lessons, with no part that dragged on or lost my attention. I found myself thinking about work situations and my own aspirations and thinking of ways to apply the lessons to my own life. I like the format, and while I was a bit disappointed that not all of the contributors really laid out a mistake they'd made, every chapter certainly had an impact. I have also compiled a long list of books, articles, and website
...more
Oncw yeu get over feeling like you really should have gone to Smith College, there is some great advice and some inspiration in here. Throughout the whole book however, and in every single chapter (interview) I couldn't shake two thoughts 1) I wish there was more depth in each interview, it was often hard not to chaulk up some of these stories of success (as they ultimately are), to having privileged backgrounds and having gone to really good schools (Smith, mostly) , and 2) a great many men, sp
...more
I've been looking for female-focused business/management books to help me navigate some of the trickier aspects of being a young female manager, so I thought this would be an interesting read. This book is made up of interviews with successful women across many industries, coming from a variety of backgrounds, in which they discuss the topic of workplace mistakes and what they learned. Each chapter begins with a short overview/bio from the author, then launches into a first person narrative from
...more
What a terrific book. I encourage anyone looking for inspiration, or at least a remedy for that little critical voice inside your head that likes to remind you of all of your f*ck ups!
My only...I don't know if I'd call it a gripe...but it bugged me that the majority of the women interviewed were affiliated with Smith College. That's not a bad thing, but it came across like favoritism on the part of the author.
That said, I'm still going to pass this book along to some of my friends and family.
My only...I don't know if I'd call it a gripe...but it bugged me that the majority of the women interviewed were affiliated with Smith College. That's not a bad thing, but it came across like favoritism on the part of the author.
That said, I'm still going to pass this book along to some of my friends and family.
I won this book from Early Readers at LibraryThing. The articles were from 25 women who had made mistakes in the work careers but learned from these mistakes and grew and advanced because of them.
All of the women who wrote articles gave an example and then summarized the points made at the end of each essay. All of the women included in this book are successful in their given careers. I would like to have had some examples of more common women who have struggled and won as well.
All of the women who wrote articles gave an example and then summarized the points made at the end of each essay. All of the women included in this book are successful in their given careers. I would like to have had some examples of more common women who have struggled and won as well.
I picked this up randomly at the library after a particularly bad week at work. I was hoping for a little inspiration and maybe some comfort. I found some of the former, not a lot of he latter. In the opening pages Bacal boasts of a book where successful woman openly admit to mistakes they made at work, instead of just humble brags, but I honestly felt like she was overselling. The following pages were a lot of "I listened to my gut and my boss didn't like it, so I quit and now I am super succes
...more
There are two messages that students, especially girls, get about making mistakes: one says they are learning opportunities, and the other says to avoid them at all costs. The women who contribute essays and tips to this collection explore this tension as they relate the mistakes they've made and what they've learned. This is a good way to learn from others' mistakes as well as to become more comfortable with making your own. A good companion book for LEAN IN.
I realize this type of book will not be for everyone, but for anyone who is currently stuck, in a rut professionally or personally, this might be the exact thing you need to progress. This book motivated me in a wide variety of ways to not settle and to continue pushing myself. I think it is inspiring to read about mistakes strong, powerful women have made and their reaction to those mistakes. I highly recommend it.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Jessica Bacal directs the Wurtele Center for Work & Life at Smith College, an independent women’s college in Massachusetts with students from every state and from 60 countries around the world. The center’s programs teach leadership skills, life skills, stress reduction and reflection, asking students to think about questions like: What is your story? Where have you been and where are you goin
...more
More about Jessica Bacal...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“This was the experience that taught me that wherever you go, whatever job you take, you always want to be working on boosting your career skills, not in the hopes that you’ll get a reward from your current company or boss—because they might not be there one day. Instead, you almost need to see yourself as a freelancer, building skills and capabilities to take with you to the next job and the next job and the next job. That’s your toolkit, and you should be adding to it all the time, because you can’t rely on a company to take care of you and nurture you and bring”
—
0 likes
“I would encourage every young woman to find at least one beautifully mucky place in which you’re not the expert—and then to wade in.”
—
0 likes
More quotes…
