February 2025 Book of the Month

Dare: Straight Talk on Confidence, Courage, and Career for Women in Charge 

By: Becky Blalock

In the month of February, we will be reading Dare: Straight Talk on Confidence, Courage, and Career for Women in Charge by Becky Blalock. The start of the semester can be a stressful time for many, especially as internship applications are in full swing. This book provides great insights for women to level up in their careers. 

The author, Becky Blalock, is the Managing Partner Advisory Capitol, a consulting firm that is involved in the medical, technology, and energy fields. She earned her bachelor’s degree in  Marketing from west Georgia University before earning her master’s in Business Administration from Mercer University. She has also received certifications from Georgia Tech, Harvard, and Stanford. She worked her way up at Southern Company throughout her career and eventually reached the position of CIO. This was a very difficult feat in a male dominated industry. Becky uses her experience to aid other women in their career progression. 

Dare is divided into the following 9 chapters: Dare to set the target high, Dare to know yourself, Dare to stand out, Dare to project a confident attitude, Dare to learn at every age, Dare to fail, Dare to reach out, Dare to be more than the boss, and Dare to be there for others. One of the most useful chapters for Cornell students is chapter 1, Dare to set the target high. This chapter highlights the importance of having big dreams while clarifying your goals. It is essential that you narrow down your goals for the greatest chance of success and truly give it your all once you have recognized it. Another important chapter to focus on is chapter 4, Dare to project a confident attitude. This chapter explains how important it is to roll with the punches and focus on what you can control. Maintaining a positive attitude in the face of adversity is a key life skill that will benefit you both personally and professionally. Self confidence is important to continually develop as it will help you at Cornell, with networking, and in future internships and jobs. 

This book is especially insightful for women interested in business, but the messages from the book can be applied to many fields. If you are interested in checking out this book or learning more about ways to level up your career, swing by the CEC in MVR 1203!