The Book · Harper
MicroSkills
Small Actions, Big Impact
- ★A Next Big Idea Club “Must-Read” Nonfiction Book of 2024
- ★Porchlight Business Book Awards Longlist, 2024
- ★Zibby Owens Summer Reading List, 2024
Buy this book on Friday, be better at your job on Monday.
A practical, generous field guide built on one idea: every big goal can be broken into small, learnable skills you can practice in real time. From writing the hard email to growing your network, it's the privileged information we wish we'd had early in our careers.
Available in 6 languages English · Polish · Korean · Mandarin · Portuguese · Thai
The big idea
We're taught to chase the big wins — the promotion, the grant, the title. But careers are actually built in the small, unglamorous moments: the email you send, the boundary you hold, the ask you finally make.
Inside the book
Small Actions That Make Big Impact
MicroSkills forSelf-care
MicroSkills toManage a Task List
MicroSkills forPolished Communication
MicroSkills toBuild and Maintain Your Reputation
MicroSkills forBecoming a Subject-Matter Expert
MicroSkills toLearn Your Workplace Culture
MicroSkills toBe a Team Player
MicroSkills toGrow Your Network
MicroSkills forNavigating Conflict
MicroSkills toActively Find New Opportunities
From readers
Why people love it
This book fills a huge gap, particularly for young adults and recent college grads, that has existed for decades. Your timing is impeccable. I've worked in higher education for over 25 years, and the conversation about “adulting” among students, staff, faculty, and employers has become increasingly ubiquitous.
— Jen Guyer-Wood, Executive Director of Career Exploration, Macalester College
This is a must read and a must share! MicroSkills is an incredible and accessible tool for employee coaching and professional development, as well as for the cultivation of older teens and young adults who are about to enter the workforce.
— Marc R. Harrison, Educator, DEIB & Advancement Professional
A friendly, practical guide filled with excellent advice, this book makes the ups and downs in professional life seem manageable. An excellent addition to career self-help collections.
— Library Journal
Landry and Lewiss discuss microskills: the idea that every talent or task can be reduced to a series of small, easily learned skills. Drawing on their dual experiences mentoring and teaching, they provide everything you'll need to be better at anything in just a few days.
— BookBub, The Best of Nonfiction · Spring 2024
Every big goal, complicated task, and healthy habit can be broken down into small, learnable skills that can be practiced and incorporated in real-time — the perfect way to make the most of your slow summer days.
— Zibby Owens, Summer Reading List
Praise
What others are saying
"More than just a book — a practical, evidence-based road map intertwined with real-life stories. Landry and Lewiss will leave you feeling inspired and motivated to chart a better path forward for yourself and your people."
— David G. Smith, PhD & W. Brad Johnson, PhD, coauthors of Good Guys
"I was blown away by MicroSkills! The book is prescient and brilliant; the practical advice immediately applicable — a success manifesto that applies to all facets of life. Brava!"
— Ruchika Tulshyan, author of Inclusion on Purpose
"A remarkably practical book — dozens of simple practices that will help anyone be more effective at work. It is a rare book that provides this level of concrete, actionable advice."
— Amy C. Edmondson, Harvard Business School, author of Right Kind of Wrong
"An incredibly comprehensive book — that's also fun to read! They cover the most critical skills needed to navigate the workplace, providing clear and practical steps along the way."
— Amy Gallo, author of Getting Along, cohost of HBR's Women at Work