Sheryl Sandberg - Facebook's COO, ranked eighth on Fortune's 50 Most Influential Businesswomen list - has become one of America's most galvanizing leaders and an icon for millions of women juggling between work and family. In Lean In, she urges women to take risks and seek new challenges, find a job they love, and stay passionately engaged at the highest level throughout their lives.
Lean In - Sheryl Sandberg's provocative and inspiring book on women and power - was born from an electrifying TED talk Sandberg gave in 2010, in which she expressed concern for the advancement of women in the world. . obtaining important leadership positions has stalled. The conference has become a phenomenon and has since been viewed nearly 2,000,000 times.
In Lean In, she fuses humorous personal anecdotes, singular lessons in confidence and leadership, and practical advice for women based on research, data, her own experiences and those of other women of all ages. Sandberg has a supernatural gift for slicing through the layers of ambiguity surrounding working women, and in Lean In she grapples with the big questions of modern life. His message to women is extremely positive. She's a pioneering role model for the ideas she advocates so passionately, and she's looking for a topic that has never been so relevant.
Anyone who has seen Sheryl Sandberg's popular TED Talk, "Why We Have Too Few Female Leaders," is familiar with - and perhaps haunted by - the idea of โโ"having it all." "Perhaps the biggest trap ever for women was inventing that phrase," writes Sandberg in Lean In, which expands the big idea of โโher speech: that increasing the number of women at the top of their field will benefit everyone. . Sandberg, COO of Facebook, encourages women to challenge the common assumption in the workplace that "men always run the world".
She asks men to be true partners, sharing the family work that usually leads to a woman's decision to stay at home; she asks women who are planning to start a family soon not to stop working mentally. Sandberg's critics note that her advice may not resonate with the masses: the Harvard-trained executive can afford a real army to help raise her children. But Sandberg's point - which concerns us all - is that women who have what it takes to succeed at the highest professional level face many obstacles, both internal and external. Lean In is likely to stimulate the conversations that need to take place for institutional change to take place at work.
If Sandberg, Facebook's COO (and first-time author) is successful, it will be because she drove us crazy and is more than willing to act. With a bit of self-irony, a huge amount of facts and research, as well as a generous dose of very personal anecdotes, Sandberg forces each of us, women and men, to reexamine ourselves at work and in life, using a filter. . Are we more concerned with being loved than with being successful? Do we think of our careers as a series of ascending ladders rather than a jungle gym? Are our true selves and honesty manifested in business? In short, every failure in a woman's career is considered carefully and with 21st century kindness and exposed with recommended remedies. Her colleagues act as advocates for her theme of leaning or taking a risk and driving change for all of us. And while there are no solutions offered other than forming communities across the country and (hopefully!) Around the world, there is tremendous energy to be felt that, thanks to Sandberg, the world could be a different place.
This book CHANGED MY LIFE. I worked in the same position at the same company for 12 years wondering why I wasn't being promoted or contacted by competitors. In addition to gaining experience over the years and building my self-esteem, I needed this book to motivate me to take the next steps. I know it sounds silly and selfish, but when I read it it was like Sandberg was talking directly to me. She gave me information on some of the things happening around me and advice on what I could do to change the course of my career.
Within a week of completion, I opposed a male colleague who downplayed and deflated everything I said in a meeting in front of my manager and colleagues. Before the book, I probably would have let it go and would have been deferential even if I knew I was right. I didn't back down, but I stayed calm and logical, and I was still friendly. He, on his part, got angry and raised his voice. I asked him why he was getting so excited about this, and that question completely disarmed him. He said "you're right, I'm sorry". Later he came to my office and apologized again. I know he didn't like it, and I don't think his apology was sincere, but I know I have at least garnered some respect from him and my colleagues.
I noticed later in another meeting where a colleague and I were giving a presentation, several male audience members kept interrupting us despite the fact that we were supposed to teach them the material. I finally stepped in and said "Gentlemen, thank you for your ideas, but we will keep your questions and comments until the end". They fell silent.
Eventually I was recently selected to attend a countrywide conference with a few other select employees. I attribute this selection to my newfound confidence in my abilities and contribution to the organization, and I attribute that confidence to this book!
I think every working woman should read it (especially working mothers), and maybe more..
I loved this book. I didn't read it when it was released in part because I've listened to reviews saying Sheryl's point of view was irrelevant due to her elite statue as a Silicon Valley executive. Guys, I was wrong to hear the negative press. Shouldn't Sheryl have a voice because she's been successful? I do not think so. She had a lot to say that I found relevant to my middle class lifestyle and the issues I faced as a career mom. She recognizes herself, that she can afford to have help, but that hasn't made her intuitions any less perceptive. One of the first things we can do in โaccompanyingโ is to support the women who speak. After reading the book I highly recommend it and now its reviews seem petty and petty.
One of the best books I have ever read. I'm not the type to read self-help books, but I had problems at work. The book was recommended to me by some people so I bought it. It is very easy to read and the style is conversational and chatty. Even though the book is written from a white woman's perspective, add any โismโ and you can probably relate to it. It's worth reading because it gives women a lot of information about how we sometimes see ourselves and our roles at work. I could definitely relate to some of the behaviors she signals!
I saw Sheryl at the SHRM National Conference in Chicago last summer. What an incredible story and what a beautiful presentation. The book discusses the struggles many confident women experience at work - gender stereotypes. The harsh facial expressions that men display suggest confidence, however, those same facial expressions suggest that a woman is bossy and controlling. The chapter in the book on how to lean and be real was very encouraging. Whether you are a man or a woman, it's about getting others to trust their abilities and not succumb to gender stereotypes. Being real and speaking out to lead others speaks so loudly in this book. It makes you realize that success does not come to those who wait, but to those who are not afraid to speak up and be real. It is simply a great book and worth every penny. I bought some as a gift. Come forward and help others spread the word. Surround yourself with confident people and their confidence will soon allow you to support yourself because we are all in the same boat.
As an educated woman (university professor) who has worked hard to overcome social barriers for minority women, I have felt that many times this book speaks directly to me and the experiences I have had. Sometimes I couldn't let go of this book. I chose this book for a book club that I ran with our graduate students, and the reviews were mostly positive. The only thing I'll notice is that this book is probably not for those who don't aspire to managerial roles or professional careers. One student commented that the book seems to suggest that not aiming high at a career level is failing. So, I guess stay-at-home moms could potentially be offended by how success is defined in this book. However, I don't think that's the intended audience.
This book begins in an amazing way. Tell people (not necessarily just women) how to be more visible in your career and how to get to the top. Somewhere around two-thirds the book gets very personal. I don't care about Sheryl Sandberg's family life, so this part of the book has done very little for me. But the first part of the book is so strong that I still give it 4 stars.
This book was cited in another book to the point that I needed to read it. I expected a business book, especially with all these quotes. He definitely supports his position, but sometimes cuts the flow. Also, I don't agree with some opinions so I'm giving the book four stars instead of five. However, it is well written and has a good message. What surprised me was that he emphasized how important it is to stay home, raise children and volunteer at school. He illustrated this by sharing his mother's choice to stay home. I bonded with her because she was a French student who later had the opportunity to teach English as a second language after raising the children. It's one of my dreams. I digress. The author's message is to build on our work no matter what.
