How to find clarity amid the turbulence of work and life

We all wish we had more time to pause and reflect about small decisions and big goals—and everything in between. But since we live and work in a vortex of tasks, meetings, decisions, and responsibilities, we rarely get the chance to step back.

In this practical guide, bestselling author and Harvard Business School professor Joseph Badaracco argues that you don't need long periods of solitude and tranquility to reflect well. In fact, reflection can take place in the cracks and crevices of your very busy life, and these moments can help you understand your feelings, look at problems from different perspectives, focus on what really matters, and, ultimately, lead a better life.

Building on candid interviews with over a hundred executives and professionals, as well as on the classic works of Marcus Aurelius, Michel de Montaigne, and Ignatius of Loyola, Badaracco offers simple, customizable principles and ideas for reflection that lend a gentle discipline to an otherwise nebulous process.

Concise, smart, and pragmatic, Step Back is the guide you need to make reflection a positive force in your work and life.

About the Author

Joseph L. Badaracco is the John Shad Professor of Business Ethics at Harvard Business School. He has taught courses on business ethics, strategy, and management in the school's MBA and Executive Education programs. He is the author of several books, including The Good Struggle, Defining Moments, and Leading Quietly, all published by Harvard Business Review Press.

You can find Joseph L. Badaracco at: linkedin.com/in/joe-badaracco

Reviews

Named one of the Globe & Mail's "Best Business Books of 2020"

Advance Praise for Step Back:

"This book guides us to 'take a step back' to understand the power of reflection through the ages and its profound relevance in our lives today." - Ann Fudge, former Chairman and CEO, Young and Rubicam Brands

"Badaracco makes a compelling case for the importance of creating times of reflection in our daily lives. If you have struggled with the why or how of this concept, you need to read this book." - Steve Reinemund, retired Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo

"Badaracco has written an important, substantive, and practical work. Everyone, especially those who lead, needs to reflect. This book shows that there are many paths to reflection and explains how to find the path that suits you best." - Ray Mabus, former Secretary of the US Navy; former Governor of Mississippi; and former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

"Badaracco shows us that reflection doesn't need to be a set time or an onerous process. Rather, it can be woven seamlessly into our lives with infinite flexibility, as we each practice reflection in ways that work for us. Individually and collectively, we will be better as a result of reading this book." - Lou D'Ambrosio, former CEO, Fortune 500 companies; Senior Advisor, private equity

"In a time when society has never been more productive and prosperous, men and women have never had less time for reflection. Badaracco has given us an extraordinary road map to regain that most precious human capability. Through thoughtful interviews and a far-reaching review of the literature, he offers a gift that every student and executive should cherish." - Bob Higgins, Managing General Partner, Causeway Media Partners

"Badaracco details a myriad of practical ways to reflect that many leaders will see as accessible and useful. Drawing on interviews with practicing managers and classics like Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, Badaracco shows that reflection is a highly personal, yet timeless practice." - Larry Culp, Chairman and CEO, General Electric

Book Information
ISBN 9781633698741
Author Joseph L. Badaracco
Format Hardback
Page Count 176
Imprint Harvard Business Review Press
Publisher Harvard Business Review Press