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Intentioning

Sex, Power, Pandemics, and How Women Will Take The Lead for (Everyone's) Good

Published by Forefront Books
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

Intentioning by best-selling author Gloria Feldt will help you envision the life and career you might have thought were impossible dreams, then give you the courage and actionable tools to achieve them.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and a pandemic of racial injustice that together shook our world to its core and revealed deep fault lines in our culture, Gloria Feldt, New York Times best-selling author, speaker, commentator, international leadership expert, successful CEO, and feminist icon, shows how we can seize the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity created by massive disruption to build back stronger with diverse women at the center of the recovery.

In Intentioning: Sex, Power, Pandemics, and How Women Will Take The Lead for (Everyone’s) Good, Feldt inspires diverse women to embrace their personal power to lead with intention, confidence, and joy. It comes as no surprise to her that women flexed their formidable muscles when needed most, representing a disproportionate number of essential workers during the darkest days of the coronavirus global outbreak and leading the charge against racism in the United States. But this book is decidedly about the future, taking the leadership lessons learned from this disruption and creating a better world for all.

Feldt not only unveils the next step in advancing gender parity in all spheres of business and life, but she also lays out the vital next steps in the overall advancement of our economy and our civilization. The “Lead Like a Woman” framework and the “9 Leadership Intentioning Tools” she presents in this book will prepare, motivate, and propel women of all diversities and intersectionalities now so that by 2025, women will have attained their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors of industry and society. We simply cannot squander women’s talents when so much hangs in the balance. Women must be at the vanguard of reimagining and reconstructing a vibrant and sustainable future for us all.

About The Author

Gloria Feldt is an acclaimed expert on women, power, and leadership with frontline leadership experience, a bestselling author, and in-demand keynote speaker.  She is cofounder and president of Take The Lead, whose mission reflects her life’s passion: to prepare, develop, inspire, and propel women to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors by 2025 by providing breakthrough training, mentoring and coaching role modeling, and thought leadership.  She is the bestselling author of four books; the latest is No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power, the research for which plus her own real world knowledge forms the core of Take The Lead’s programs.

She is formerly president and CEO of the world’s largest reproductive health and advocacy organization, Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She was named by Vanity Fair one of “America’s Top 200 Women Leaders, Legends, and Trailblazers,” Glamour’s “Woman of the Year,” She Knows Media Inspiring Woman, Women’s eNews 21 Leaders for the 21st Century, Women Economic Forum Circle of Light award, Texas Monthly’s Texas 20, Martin Luther King Living the Dream Award, and Forbes 40 Over 40.

She teaches “Women, Power, and Leadership” at Arizona State University.  Feldt has been widely quoted and published, including by the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, The Daily Beast, Forbes, Fast Company, Time, Huffington Post, Glamour, Elle and Ms. She has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, the Today Show, Good Morning America and The Daily Show, and an infinite number of podcasts. Her own podcast is “Power TO You.”

Gloria is an awesome chili maker. She and her husband Alex Barbanell live in New York City and Scottsdale, Arizona; they share a combined family of six children and 15 grandchildren, so there is never a dull moment in their lives. She spends too much time on social media and invites you to connect with her there @GloriaFeldt.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Forefront Books (September 28, 2021)
  • Length: 224 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781637630167

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Raves and Reviews

From the woman who has spent her life shifting our relationship to power, now Gloria's giving us a master class on how to channel that power and maximize the impact that is so deeply needed today, with intention! Disruption without intention is chaos, and inside the pages of Intentioning, you will find the hard-earned roadmap to help us all, no matter our gender, get to where our ancestors' wildest dreams imagined we'd someday arrive.

– Nathalie Molina Niño, Managing Director, Known Holdings, and author of Leapfrog

Many books tell women what to do to succeed. “Intentioning” takes a fresh approach by helping women be more authentically who we are and appreciating our unique powers of intention. Gloria writes in a personable style, laced with her own brand of humor, as she relates stories of “intentional women” that will inspire you to design, then reach, your own highest intentions. The 9 Leadership Intentioning Tools are golden nuggets of actionable skills and tips you can use right away. More importantly, they provide new ways of thinking that will stand you in good stead throughout your life and career.

– May Busch, CEO of Career Mastery™ and former COO of Morgan Stanley Europe

Many books tell women what to do to succeed. “Intentioning” takes a fresh approach by helping women be more authentically who we are and appreciating our unique powers of intention. Gloria writes in a personable style, laced with her own brand of humor, as she relates stories of “intentional women” that will inspire you to design, then reach, your own highest intentions. The 9 Leadership Intentioning Tools are golden nuggets of actionable skills and tips you can use right away. More importantly, they provide new ways of thinking that will stand you in good stead throughout your life and career.

– May Busch, CEO of Career Mastery™ and former COO of Morgan Stanley Europe

Few books on women’s leadership include intersectionality and racial justice; few books on racial justice include women’s leadership. Yet the two must go forward together or neither is likely to succeed. In Intentioning, Gloria Feldt weaves together the case and provides examples of diverse women’s experiences of intentioning: “Intend it. See it. It will happen.” Practical tools are presented to lead toward more equitable organizations and world for all.

– Lily D. McNair, Ph.D., 8th President and first woman President of Tuskegee University

Eye-opening and compelling, Intentioning implores leaders to apply the lessons learned in the wake of the 2 pandemics to not just build back better, but deliberately rebuild with purpose and finally create gender parity. Gloria Feldt masterfully weaves her “Lead Like a Woman” framework into 9 Leadership Intentioning Tools. Intentioning’s actionable best practices deliberately positions women leaders to create an equitable and more productive workplace that allows everyone to thrive. The “must read” for every leader who is serious about positioning their organization for success in the 21st century!

– Dr. David G. Smith, Co-author, Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women and Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace

Gloria is the Meryl Streep of leadership: pitch perfect in her essaying of her destined role to inspire and energise women worldwide. Ringing with purpose and power, her words set you free to embrace your ambition, love your struggling self, and touch your deepest core within: that highest best vibration, that raison d’être, that divine intention with which YOU were born. The book runs as a gripping movie and should be made one so generations can behold our fiery feminist icon and find her in ourselves.

– Dr. Harbeen Arora, Founder, G100, Women Economic Forum (WEF), and Bioayurveda



“Power Unused is Power Useless.” This quote from Gloria’s first book has not only stuck with me, but motivated me all these years to make such that I am not leaving any of my power unactivated. Every single woman has the capacity to make a difference and now is the time to believe it, and do it.

This world needs women to more fully step in, and step up, to activate the power we already have to create positive change. The world is the way it is because of how power is used and expressed. Want the world to be different? Great, what are you going to do about it ladies?

We need this book now. This pandemic has disproportionately negatively impacted women and we not only have ground to make up, but we must take our rightful place as more equitable partners in leadership across all sectors. Our intentions, individual and collective, will drive our actions which in turn will manifest outcomes.

– Jacki Zehner, Founder, ShePlace, CoFounder Women Moving Millions, Former Partner and Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

If you’re ready to leave the past behind and lead with intention, this is not only a ”must read”, but also follow, book. Gloria is the go-to expert on “taking the lead” and this guide further highlights her knowledge and expertise as well as amplifying stories of women who’ve battled back, and succeeded, with intention.

– Cate Luzio, Founder and CEO, Luminary

Never has there been a better time to rethink leadership after a period of intense disruption that heightened the intense challenges already faced by women and minorities. Gloria Feldt's book, 'Intentioning' is a fresh and liberating approach to rethinking and reaching gender parity in leadership and life.

– Juliet Scott-Croxford, CEO of Worth Media

From the woman who has spent her life shifting our relationship to power, now Gloria's giving us a master class on how to channel that power and maximize the impact that is so deeply needed today, with intention! Disruption without intention is chaos, and inside the pages of Intentioning, you will find the hard-earned roadmap to help us all, no matter our gender, get to where our ancestors' wildest dreams imagined we'd someday arrive.

– Nathalie Molina Niño, Managing Director, Known Holdings, and author of Leapfrog

Many books tell women what to do to succeed. “Intentioning” takes a fresh approach by helping women be more authentically who we are and appreciating our unique powers of intention. Gloria writes in a personable style, laced with her own brand of humor, as she relates stories of “intentional women” that will inspire you to design, then reach, your own highest intentions. The 9 Leadership Intentioning Tools are golden nuggets of actionable skills and tips you can use right away. More importantly, they provide new ways of thinking that will stand you in good stead throughout your life and career.

– May Busch, CEO of Career Mastery™ and former COO of Morgan Stanley Europe

Many books tell women what to do to succeed. “Intentioning” takes a fresh approach by helping women be more authentically who we are and appreciating our unique powers of intention. Gloria writes in a personable style, laced with her own brand of humor, as she relates stories of “intentional women” that will inspire you to design, then reach, your own highest intentions. The 9 Leadership Intentioning Tools are golden nuggets of actionable skills and tips you can use right away. More importantly, they provide new ways of thinking that will stand you in good stead throughout your life and career.

– May Busch, CEO of Career Mastery™ and former COO of Morgan Stanley Europe

Few books on women’s leadership include intersectionality and racial justice; few books on racial justice include women’s leadership. Yet the two must go forward together or neither is likely to succeed. In Intentioning, Gloria Feldt weaves together the case and provides examples of diverse women’s experiences of intentioning: “Intend it. See it. It will happen.” Practical tools are presented to lead toward more equitable organizations and world for all.

– Lily D. McNair, Ph.D., 8th President and first woman President of Tuskegee University

Eye-opening and compelling, Intentioning implores leaders to apply the lessons learned in the wake of the 2 pandemics to not just build back better, but deliberately rebuild with purpose and finally create gender parity. Gloria Feldt masterfully weaves her “Lead Like a Woman” framework into 9 Leadership Intentioning Tools. Intentioning’s actionable best practices deliberately positions women leaders to create an equitable and more productive workplace that allows everyone to thrive. The “must read” for every leader who is serious about positioning their organization for success in the 21st century!

– Dr. David G. Smith, Co-author, Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women and Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace

Gloria is the Meryl Streep of leadership: pitch perfect in her essaying of her destined role to inspire and energise women worldwide. Ringing with purpose and power, her words set you free to embrace your ambition, love your struggling self, and touch your deepest core within: that highest best vibration, that raison d’être, that divine intention with which YOU were born. The book runs as a gripping movie and should be made one so generations can behold our fiery feminist icon and find her in ourselves.

– Dr. Harbeen Arora, Founder, G100, Women Economic Forum (WEF), and Bioayurveda



“Power Unused is Power Useless.” This quote from Gloria’s first book has not only stuck with me, but motivated me all these years to make such that I am not leaving any of my power unactivated. Every single woman has the capacity to make a difference and now is the time to believe it, and do it.

This world needs women to more fully step in, and step up, to activate the power we already have to create positive change. The world is the way it is because of how power is used and expressed. Want the world to be different? Great, what are you going to do about it ladies?

We need this book now. This pandemic has disproportionately negatively impacted women and we not only have ground to make up, but we must take our rightful place as more equitable partners in leadership across all sectors. Our intentions, individual and collective, will drive our actions which in turn will manifest outcomes.

– Jacki Zehner, Founder, ShePlace, CoFounder Women Moving Millions, Former Partner and Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

If you’re ready to leave the past behind and lead with intention, this is not only a ”must read”, but also follow, book. Gloria is the go-to expert on “taking the lead” and this guide further highlights her knowledge and expertise as well as amplifying stories of women who’ve battled back, and succeeded, with intention.

– Cate Luzio, Founder and CEO, Luminary

Never has there been a better time to rethink leadership after a period of intense disruption that heightened the intense challenges already faced by women and minorities. Gloria Feldt's book, 'Intentioning' is a fresh and liberating approach to rethinking and reaching gender parity in leadership and life.

– Juliet Scott-Croxford, CEO of Worth Media

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