MAYBE IT'S ME

Business and leadership coach Alessandrini offers practical advice for business leaders in a book that doubles as a strategic self-improvement guide for everyday life.

This self-help book addresses “high-performing” and “highly responsible” leaders, guiding them through what Alessandrini touts as proven methodologies to transform their lives. In the first section, the author breaks down conditioned beliefs, such as that overwork is the “only way to succeed.” The main thrust of the book, though, lies in Alessandrini’s “seven conscious questions” that can “help you…choose your response in any situation.” One example: “What Is the Whole Truth, Even If It’s Inconvenient?” The answer, she asserts, lies in learning to distinguish one’s own emotions from the facts. Each chapter concludes with a refrain of inquiries aimed at “apply[ing] your learning” from the lesson, along with a few of the author’s more candid recommendations for behavior modification. Distinctions between leading and managing, helping and enabling, and power and responsibility, among other concepts, are particularly enlightening. By frontloading the book with personal experience, Alessandrini, who spent more than 20 years as an executive in the automotive aftermarket, establishes her credibility early on. Readers will trust her and be engaged by the book’s concise personal anecdotes and digestible content, which are structured in as bullet points, lists, and subheadings. The book has references to the author’s Christian faith, but the coaching content is secular and non-dogmatic, and the work is encouraging, propulsive, and easy to read. Indeed, some readers may wish to keep their highlighters handy, as they may find themselves returning to the book as a reference guide.

A manual that will likely assist many readers seeking to identify their goals.