Taking Up Space: Get Heard, Deliver Results, and Make a Difference

From the CEO of CVS Health and Fortune’s #1 Most Powerful Woman in Business—an inspiring, authentic, and actionable road map for overcoming systemic obstacles to leadership

Karen S. Lynch went from a childhood filled with loss and instability in a stark mill town in Massachusetts to leading one of the nation’s largest health care companies, where she has been instrumental in transforming how people access affordable quality care. After being named CEO of the Fortune 500’s sixth largest company, CVS Health, she is now the most powerful woman on that revered list. In Taking Up Space, she tells her trailblazing story—and delivers powerful lessons you can use to become the leader you’re meant to be, including:


Own Your Past to Deliver a Better Future: Let your story and experiences be a strength.

Remove the Blinders: Enlist others. You’re never too successful for mentors.

The Path to Leadership Is Never Linear: Get out of your lane. Say yes, even if it’s not the job you want.

The Power of Learning by Doing: Continually seek out experiences, ideas, and opinions to broaden your view and develop insight.

Lead with Empathy: The truth is often found on the other side.

Responsible Transparency: Demonstrate responsibility through individual action.

The Power of Purpose and Choice: You control your destiny. Use that power to make a difference.



Lynch explains how to use your voice and earn influence in places and situations that tend to shut you out so you can drive positive change. She shows how to create value in your organization by making your approach to businesses more personal and empathic—but still professional and accountable. How do you transform a company that may be entrenched and constrained by traditional outlooks and methods? The answers to this and other questions are in Taking Up Space.