Transforming Your STEM Career Through Leadership and Innovation

Transforming Your STEM Career Through Leadership and Innovation offers valuable information on what it means to be a leader and innovator and encourages you to discover and develop these skills for yourself. This book integrates leadership and innovation principles with personal examples and profiles of inspirational women. By providing a clear process on how to build upon your personal strengths to realize leadership and innovation goals, this book will inspire you to pick up the mantle and meet the critical need for leadership and innovation in the STEM fields. This is a must-have guide that is relevant and valuable for women in all stages of their careers.

• Examines research-based leadership and innovation principles to make these critically important characteristics both real and attainable
• Empowers you to build upon your own strengths and successes to discover and develop leadership and innovation skills
• Features a companion website that highlights women’s leadership success stories, innovation resources and best practices
• Provides a practical guide that educates, encourages and equips you to pursue leadership and innovation opportunities

Women pursuing or involved in a career in the STEM fields who are interested in developing skills as leaders and innovators. This includes female students and academics as well as regulatory and industry professionals. Additional markets include academic and professional women’s organizations in these areas, as well as leadership development programs, innovation and technology conferences and professional development training and workshops.

• Dedication
• How to Get the Most Out of this Book
• Commitment Page
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1. A Call to Leadership
• You Made It!
• You Matter
• Where We are Today
• Perspectives from Other Women
• What Can You Do Today?
• The Challenges We Face
• Lead Today
• Summary
• References
• Chapter 2. Why Innovation Matters Even More Today
• The Relationship between Leadership and Innovation
• Personal Innovation Vs Organizational Innovation
• Innovation and Women
• Models of Innovation
• Creating Your Own Micro-Innovation Ecosystem
• Summary
• References
• Chapter 3. Why More Women Don’t Lead and Innovate
• Cultural Career Perception Issues
• Organizational Career Perception Issues
• Individual Career Perception Issues
• Conclusion
• Actions for the Reader
• Chapter Resources
• References
• Chapter 4. Leadership and Innovation Characteristics
• Characteristics of Innovators
• Mythbusters® on Leadership [5, 6]
• Characteristics of Leadership
• Vision
• Power Tips for Women Leaders
• The Transformational Innovation Leader
• Beyond Transformational Innovation Leadership
• Summary
• Chapter Resources
• References
• Chapter 5. Developing the Leader in You
• Leadership Development Theories
• What Does It Mean To Develop Your Leadership Skills?
• Personal Assessment of Leadership Characteristics
• Leadership Is in All of Us
• Conclusions
• Chapter Resources
• References
• Chapter 6. Innovate Today!
• Innovation and Your Career
• Summary
• Chapter Resources
• References
• Chapter 7. Women Leaders Must Support Each Other
• Why Does It Matter?
• Summary
• Chapter Resources
• References
• Chapter 8. Winners Don’t Quit: A Plan for Sustained Leadership and Innovation
• Make the Decision
• Establish Your Goals
• Plan, Prepare – and Execute!
• Hard Work and Smart Work
• Good Association and Networking
• Now that You’ve Done it!
• Always Believe in yourself and your Vision
• References
• Index