In the introduction to Mustang Sallies: Success Secrets of Women Who Refuse to Run with the Herd, one of four books written by my friend Fawn Germer, we learn that her motivation stemmed from a boss who once told her, "You've gone as far as you're going to go. All you are now is all you are ever going to be--a reporter." This, despite the investigative journalism that had earned her numerous state and national awards along with four Pulitzer nominations.

Demoralized, she began to think of her boss as her "tormentor" (the very opposite of a "mentor") and both her self esteem and productivity plummeted...but not for long. Ultimately, Fawn "refused to play victim and fired my tomentor."

It's significant that she does not accuse her "tormentor" of turning her into a victim. Had she remained  in a position where she felt under-valued and over-criticized, that choice--and its consequences--would have been her own. She chose instead to take a chance and make a change which would lead to "the greatest adventure of my life."

From an unproductive rivalry which became a formidable partnership, to the middle-of-the-night moment that taught her to thrive in her own "discomfort zone," Fawn draws on her own wealth of experiences to empower other women to compromise without selling out, to achieve their dreams without squandering their most valuable asset--themselves. But she doesn't expect you to take her word for it. Mustang Sallies is interwoven with the author's own candid interviews with over 50 of the most successful women in America, including Hillary Rodham Clinton, Arianna Huffington, Erin Brockovich, Meg Whitman, and Janet Robinson.

Whether you're looking for practical advice or just a thoroughly entertaining read, this book is both a testament to the accomplishments of "mustang sallies" and an inspiration to the "conformity colts" still contemplating that break from the paddock.