Chemistry, Tea, and Emerald Seas

How three Female Protagonists reminded me of key leadership lessons

I get asked a lot about books I've read on management, leadership, business, and technology. So, of course, I have talked a lot about those. But friends and family will tell you my first love is fiction books! I resisted sharing fiction books with my professional network for a while. But this year, I will share more on ChaiTime! It fits my brand of weaving a work-life tapestry.

Today I’m sharing 3 of my recent favorite fiction books. They all have a strong, relatable female character who discovers herself more in the story. I also found all these books at exactly the right time in my life when I needed them!

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

I read this book in the early days of my MBA when I was juggling many work and family commitments. Whenever the going got tough, Elizabeth Zott’s journey kept me focused and gave me the courage to keep going. My constant reminder was, “if she could do it in the era and circumstances she was in, I definitely can!”

Here are my other takeaways from the book:

• The importance of building your village and asking for help as a working mom. Harriet’s presence in Elizabeth’s life helps her survive and thrive in many ways. Equally important is how Elizabeth’s presence changes Harriet’s perspectives and ambitions. My article on Work-Life Tapestry shares my experiences with my village.

• Bringing your authentic self to work. Elizabeth identified with being a mom and a chemist. When she does her cooking show, she finds a way to bring both identities with her to this job. I identify with being a mom, a first-gen immigrant, an engineering leader, and more. I try to bring a blend of all these facets to work every day so I can be my most authentic self as a leader.

• Living a life of composure and grace. I seek a way forward in life. I want to find hope and purpose despite my mishaps. I was touched by how quickly Elizabeth forgave her wrongdoers. She also found purpose in her pain.

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite authors! I have read almost all his books, especially in the Cosmere series. So when this showed up as his biggest Kickstarter campaign, of course I grabbed the chance to get a copy! While the book was a delightful read as a Cosmere fan, it was even more delightful to read for the life lessons.

Some of my takeaways from the book:

• A bold vision. Fear of failure is a real problem we face as leaders. To avoid failure, we set our visions to something we can see ourselves doing. Often they end up being a bit of a stretch but not really bold. By avoiding a bold vision, we miss an opportunity to genuinely challenge ourselves. Tress reminded me of this when she set herself an impossible vision early in the story. The most memorable thing about her vision setting was this quote: “she had no idea how but she would find a way." Remember, a vision should address the “what” and a strategy addresses the "how."

• Creative problem solving. One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Tress interacts with Xisis. It was a reminder for me to look for unusual solutions to problems. I've often used a trick (that Tress uses here). It's to switch perspective from victim to owner when addressing problems. Empowering yourself can help you discard false assumptions. It can also help you find a way forward.

• The power of delegation. In the book's climax, Tress must trust her team and delegate to them to get an important job done. Some of us discover the power of delegation this way. We are forced to do it because we are too busy or unavailable due to a vacation or a personal emergency. Don’t be that leader who waits to delegate until difficult circumstances! Delegate proactively and regularly. Communicate well. Your team needs time to accept the new responsibilities you want to give them.

A Coup of Tea by Casey Blair

This was a surprise find that Kindle recommended to me. I read this book at a time when I was contemplating a big change - leaving the company I had worked at for 15 years! I felt a lot like Miyara. My time at Google had prepared me for new challenges. But I had to find one, then shine in it using what I learned.

Here are my other takeaways from the book:

• Finding your brand as a leader. Miyara’s quote on why she decided to forge her own path really resonated with me. “I can’t possibly serve people if I don’t know what they need from me. If I don’t know what I have to offer them.” To be an authentic leader, you must know what you bring to the table.

• Listening. In many key scenes, from Miyara's first meeting with Talmeri to her negotiation with the Te Muraka, she reminds herself to stop solving problems and start listening! This is something I am constantly reminding myself of as a leader. It is easy to “listen to win” or “listen to fix," but true leadership requires pivoting to “listening to learn."

• Taking up space. This is a challenge I faced and one that I have heard many women leaders mention. Especially if you grew up in a culture that values selflessness. Miyara's journey teaches us all: taking up space is not bad if done thoughtfully. Stepping up and leading with purpose is sometimes necessary. If you're worried about seeming aggressive, bossy, or attention-seeking, then you (like me and Miyara) need to learn to take up space!

If you haven’t read any of these books yet, I hope this post inspires you to grab one! And if you have read any, I’d love to know what you thought of the story!