Jill Flynn, Kathryn Heath and Mary Davies Holt look at the reasons why women hold just 11 percent of the most senior-level leadership positions in U.S. Corporations—a number that hasn’t changed in over 30 years. They argue that there is a need to break rules in order to change the patterns of thinking that block women’s paths to power.

How can women break through? Break Your Own Rules distills the six faulty assumptions, or “rules”, most women follow that get in the way—then delivers the correlating new rules that promise to clear that path. For example, the old rule of “Focus on Others” must be replaced by “Take Center Stage,” “Hard Work Will Get You There” must yield to “Be Politically Savvy.” “Play It Safe” must give way to “Play to Win.” “Ask Permission” must be replaced by “Proceed Until Apprehended.”

The book features the results of over 1,700 interviews with executives in Fortune 1000 companies, as well as the authors’ new research and ongoing work with over 5,000 professional women. It showcases previously-untold stories from high profile women including Ann Moore (CEO, Time Inc.), Susan Ivey (CEO, Reynolds American), Cathy Bessant (Global Executive for Technology and Operations for Bank of America), Lynn Ford (CEO, ING Solutions).

The authors reveal what it really takes for any woman to succeed at the highest levels.

Published by Jossey-Bass ISBN: 978-1-1180-6254-8. $20.76