Rookie Smarts

Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work

By: Liz Wiseman

Narrated by: Liz Wiseman

Wall Street Journal Bestseller

Is it possible to be at your best even when you are underqualified or doing something for the first time? Is it still possible, even after decades of experience, to recapture the enthusiasm, curiosity, and fearlessness of youth to take on new challenges? With the right mindset—with Rookie Smarts—you can.

In a rapidly changing world, experience can be a curse. Careers stall, innovation stops, and strategies grow stale. Being new, naïve, and even clueless can be an asset. For today’s knowledge workers, constant learning is more valuable than mastery.

In this essential guide, leadership expert Liz Wiseman explains how to reclaim and cultivate this curious, flexible, youthful mindset called Rookie Smarts. She argues that the most successful rookies are hunter-gatherers—alert and seeking, cautious but quick like firewalkers, and hungry and relentless like pioneers. Most importantly, she identifies a breed of leaders she refers to as “perpetual rookies.” Despite years of experience, they retain their rookie smarts, thinking and operating with the mindsets and practices of these high-performing rookies.

Rookie Smarts addresses the questions every experienced professional faces: “Will my knowledge and skills become obsolete and irrelevant? Will a young, inexperienced newcomer upend my company or me? How can I keep up?” The answer is to stay fresh, keep learning, and know when to think like a rookie.

Rookie Smarts isn’t just for professionals seeking personal renewal; it is an indispensible resource for all leaders who must ensure their workforces remains vital and competitive.

Great concepts needs new case studies

Huge fan of Liz Wiseman but this book didn’t hold up as well over time as Multipliers. This needs to be updated with all the change in the world over the past few years. It’s almost seems time deaf out into the context of politics, race relations, pandemic and so worth, so it could really use an update. Otherwise, still a fan of Liz’s work!

Unique concept and a great speaking voice

Clearly answers the question "when is not knowing better". I heard her on an interview she did on Dave Ramsey's EntreLeadership Podcast in December of 2014 and found myself re listening to it. I bought the book and it did not disappoint. Liz really lays out the concepts well and you can tell it is well researched. Her speaking voice is full of character and is almost cute which makes the book nice to listen to as she explains everything.

Phenomenal Book

This book was so totally worth the read. If you in management or just staring out you should definitely get this book

Great non-rookie book

I just finished listening/reading this book for the second time. I've heard Liz speak twice and also loved Multipliers. I recently took a promotion to a job that did not previously exist in my company. There are just three of us with my title out of thousands of employees. I have been struggling a bit and this book has helped me again. Thank you for encouraging me to continue to learn and for telling me it is ok not to "know".

Liz Wiseman does it again

Excellent! My top fav professional development authors, Liz Wiseman is thoughtful and concise in Rookie Smarts. Great use of real world examples followed by practical application for your business or career. On par with her book Multiplers, which I HIGHLY recommend