Behind the headlines—one of the most talked-about business leaders in the world tells her own story
By accepting the CEO job at Hewlett-Packard, an iconic company that had lost its way, Carly Fiorina confirmed her status as the most powerful businesswoman in America. But she also made herself a target for everyone who disliked her bold leadership style and resented her rapid rise.
For six years, as she led HP through drastic changes and a controversial merger, Fiorina was the subject of endless analysis, debate, and speculation. She appeared on the cover of every major magazine and her every word was scrutinized. Yet in all that time, the public never got to know the person behind the persona.
Tough Choices will finally reveal the real Carly Fiorina, who writes with brutal honesty about her triumphs and failures, her deepest fears and most painful confrontations—including her sudden and very public firing by HP’s board of directors.
It’s an amazing life story: Fiorina was a liberal arts major and law school dropout who didn’t even consider a business career until her mid-twenties. But soon she was blazing through big jobs at AT&T and then Lucent Technologies, with a growing reputation as a creative, hardworking, visionary leader. Her career path would have been remarkable for anyone, but in an industry dominated by men, it was unprecedented.
Tough Choices shows what it’s really like to lead a major corporation in a time of great change while trying to stay true to your values. It’s one woman’s inspiring story, along with her unique perspective on leadership, technology, globalization, sexism, and many other issues.
“Fiorina wrote the book herself, without a ghostwriter, and it’s well-written.”
—Forbes
“A very engaging read…Chapters dealing with her meteoric rise through Lucent are excellent.”
—BusinessWeek
Her prose is fluid and her voice is authentic. Ms. Fiorina has waited a long time to tell her story, and she does so memorably.
—The Wall Street Journal
“Ms. Fiorina is at her best when recounting the travails of a woman in a male-dominated business culture.…The woman that emerges from these pages is cultured, sensitive, and vulnerable, even as she acts tough.”
—The Economist
