When We're
in Charge
The Next Generation's Guide to Leadership
Available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook (narrated by Amanda). Paperback coming September 2026.
Same book. Easier to carry.
Same book, easier to throw in a bag, cheaper to buy for your whole team. Pre-order links coming soon; bulk pricing available now at hello@amandalitman.com.
What if things didn't suck?
Most leadership books treat millennials and Gen Z like problems to manage. This one was written for them.
When We're in Charge is a direct, practical guide for the next generation of leaders — the ones who are finally in charge and determined not to replicate the management they spent years resenting. How do you lead with authority without becoming the boss you hated? How do you set real boundaries without losing credibility? How do you build a team culture that doesn't require people to sacrifice their whole lives?
Based on Amanda's experience building and leading Run for Something — and on conversations with more than 100 next-gen leaders across politics, business, media, tech, and education — this book answers the questions that actually come up. It makes the case for the four-day work week, argues that transparency is powerful and dangerous in equal measure, and explains why the boss taking parental leave matters as much as offering it.
Named a best business book by the Financial Times. Endorsed by Adam Grant, Anne Helen Petersen, Ilana Glazer, Jon Favreau, and Tori Dunlap. Available in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook — narrated by Amanda.
If you're googling "best leadership books," here's where this one fits.
Most leadership book lists are the same ten titles on a loop — Dare to Lead, Radical Candor, The Making of a Manager. Those books are good! I cite some of them! But they were largely written for a workplace that's already gone: five days in an office, one job for a decade, a boss who never has to think about what their team sees on their Instagram.
When We're in Charge is the leadership book for what comes after — for millennial and Gen Z managers dealing with hybrid teams, public politics, burnout that's structural (not a vibes problem), and employees who expect transparency and boundaries at the same time. It's the book I needed when I became an executive director at 27 and couldn't find a single guide that assumed someone like me would ever be in charge.
If you're a first-time manager, a founder, or the youngest person in your leadership meeting: this was written for you, specifically.
What people are saying.
"A refreshingly candid, delightfully irreverent guide to leadership for the next generation. Amanda Litman busts some major myths about how to succeed at the helm. Get ready to rethink some of your basic assumptions about authenticity, productivity, and professionalism."
— Adam Grant, #1 NYT bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again
"Enough already with the quiet quitting. When We're In Charge is the new essential handbook for taking power and actually using it to do good."
— Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett & Tommy Vietor, Crooked Media
"An ambitious and refreshingly practical examination of modern management… Litman doesn't just ask leaders to be revolutionary, she shows it is possible with an actionable road map for 21st-century governance."
"Amanda Litman continues her legacy of mapping out systems for Millennials & Gen Z who believe in basic human rights to take ownership of our institutions and make this country one we're proud to be living in."
— Ilana Glazer
"Will help you be the boss you wished you had. Chock full of invaluable insights into the changing workplace and how to lead with compassion — and still get sh*t done."
— Tori Dunlap, NYT bestselling author of Financial Feminist and founder of Her First $100K
"Unlike anything else in the 'business book' space — a must-read for anyone who doesn't just want to make the world better, but wants to figure out how to keep caring."
— Anne Helen Petersen, author of Can't Even and co-author of Out of Office
"The workplace is evolving more rapidly than ever. When We're In Charge has all the insights and advice for leaders to navigate these choppy waters."
— Sami Sage, NYT bestselling author of Democracy in Retrograde
"Essential reading for any Gen Z or millennial who holds a leadership position or one day hopes to. Amanda Litman has given them the roadmap to do exactly that."
— Jason Kander, NYT bestselling author of Invisible Storm, first millennial elected to statewide office
In the news.
FAQ.
Who is When We're in Charge for?
Millennial and Gen Z leaders — new managers, founders, executive directors, team leads — and anyone who wants to run a team without recreating the boss they hated. You don't need a title to read it; you need the ambition to lead differently.
How is it different from other leadership books?
It's written for the next generation, not about how to manage them. It's based on Amanda's experience building Run for Something plus interviews with more than 100 next-gen leaders, and it takes positions most business books won't: the four-day workweek works, transparency is a tool that can cut you, and your team is not your family.
Is it good for new or first-time managers?
That's the core reader. The book covers the stuff nobody trains you on — giving hard feedback, setting boundaries when your team follows you on social media, taking parental leave as the boss, firing someone without losing yourself.
When does the paperback come out?
September 2026. Hardcover, e-book, and audiobook (narrated by Amanda) are available now.
Can I use it with my team or book club?
Yes — there's a free discussion guide made for exactly that.
What recognition has it gotten?
Named a best business book by the Financial Times. Endorsed by Adam Grant, Jon Favreau, Ilana Glazer, Anne Helen Petersen, Tori Dunlap, Jason Kander, and Sami Sage. Featured in Vanity Fair, The Guardian, Teen Vogue, Forbes, and on Morning Joe.