Edge

Laura Huang, a star Harvard Business School professor, shows that success is about gaining an edge: that magic quality that makes others pay attention to your ideas and support your work. Some people seem to naturally have an advantage. Now, Huang teaches the rest of us how to create our own from the challenges and biases we think hold us back. How do you find a competitive edge when the obstacles feel insurmountable? How do you get people to take you seriously when they're predisposed not to? Laura Huang has come up against that problem many times--and so has anyone who's ever felt out of place or underestimated. Many of us sit back quietly, hoping that our hard work and effort will speak for itself. Or we try to force ourselves into the mold of who we think is "successful," stifling the creativity and charm that makes us unique and memorable. Huang offers a different approach. She argues that success is rarely just about the quality of our ideas, credentials, and skills, or our effort. Instead, it's about how well we shape others' perceptions--of not just our strengths, but also our flaws. It's about creating our own edge by confronting the factors that seem like shortcomings and turning them into assets that make others take notice. Huang draws from her award-winning research on entrepreneurial intuition, persuasion, and implicit decision-making, as well as stories about previously-overlooked Olympians, assistants-turned-executives, and first-time entrepreneurs. Through a deeply-researched framework, Huang shows how we can turn weaknesses into strengths and create an edge in any situation. She explains how an entrepreneur scored a massive investment despite initially being disparaged for his foreign accent, and how a first-time political candidate overcame voters' doubts about his physical disabilities. Edge shows that success is about knowing who you are and using that knowledge unapologetically and strategically. This book will teach you how to find your unique edge and keep it sharp.