STEP UP

Step Up is an empowering and mobilizing call to action, full of emotional and incredibly relevant storytelling. With a compelling blend of innovative research and personal stories, Ash Beckham has created an artful and visionary guide to stepping up in all areas of your life and becoming a more inclusive, active, and confident version of yourself. Through the foundational eight pillars of leadership, Step Up shows readers that everyone has the potential (and responsibility) to speak up for themselves and others, and that we all have the capabilities and stories necessary to become better leaders.

This book is every bit as impactful as watching Ash Beckham share her story onstage in a packed auditorium. There, as here, her vibrant, wide-open heart shines through. Step Up is more valuable than any ‘inclusion workshop’ I’ve ever attended. Ash knows firsthand that the way to broaden our perspective about difference and unseat our unconscious habits is not by top-down command but by grassroots understanding. Step Up not only imparts that understanding by blending storytelling, inspiration, and science, it also offers actionable homework. It’s a book. It’s a workshop. It’s a motivational ideal for all of us who aspire to be better, kinder versions of ourselves.

Ash’s insights jump off the pages of this incredibly compelling read! Her personal stories made me laugh, cry, and, most importantly, relate. I would recommend this book to interns, CEOs, and everyone in between. Ash’s one-of-a-kind take on leadership is the fresh perspective we need in today’s world.

Ash Beckham somehow created a self-improvement book that is neither boring nor pretentious! She took on a topic that people can relate to in everyday life—how to become a better leader—and infused it with humor, emotion, and practical tips I will actually use because they’re not overly complicated or annoying. I often forget that leadership transcends the workplace, and the more I can include this mind-set in my everyday life, the better person I will be for myself, others, and the world around me. My favorite (and toughest) challenge is to practice patience as it relates to leadership. Ash reminds us that sometimes being a leader is to do the opposite of what you think you should. Thank you, Ash, for sharing yourself and this gift with the world!