Tough Choices

By accepting the CEO job at Hewlett-Packard, an iconic company that had lost its way, Carly Fiorina confirmed her status as the most powerful businesswoman in America. But she also made herself a target for everyone who disliked her bold leadership style and resented her rapid rise. For six years, as she led HP through drastic changes and a controversial merger, Fiorina was the subject of endless analysis, debate, and speculation. She appeared on the cover of every major magazine and her every word was scrutinized. Yet in all that time, the public never got to know the person behind the persona. "Tough Choices" finally reveals the real Carly Fiorina, who writes with brutal honesty about her triumphs and failures, her deepest fears and most painful confrontations - including her sudden and very public firing by HPs board of directors. Its an amazing life story: Fiorina was a liberal arts major and law school dropout who didnt even consider a business career until her midtwenties. But soon she was blazing through big jobs at AT&T and then Lucent Technologies, with a growing reputation as a creative, hard-working, visionary leader. Her career path would have been remarkable for anyone, but in an industry dominated by men, it was unprecedented. "Tough Choices" shows what its really like to lead a major corporation in a time of great change while trying to stay true to your values. Its one womans inspiring story, along with her unique perspective on leadership, technology, globalization, sexism, and many other issues.