Spring Reading - Lean In
Everyone is talking about this new book, “Lean In” by Sheryl
Sandberg. It’s supposed to be a modern day manifesto for women. I’ve only started reading it and was hesitant
at first because anything that sounds like ‘manifesto’ I try to steer clear of
especially when I want some light reading, but as is the case with most of my
reads, I never pick my books. They pick me. This was no different.
I have found that when the world really wants you to learn
something it will find a way to teach it to you. Using a book as a medium is
one of the easy ways to do this. Sometimes it’s a self-help book (for obvious
reasons), sometimes it’s a motivational read and other times it’s just for fun,
because even the powers that be want us all to have a little fun now and then.
This book is just as much for men as it is for women. I have
already read stuff in there that I have felt and do feel time and time again. There
are 11 chapters plus an introduction. I am on chapter 4. So if anyone wants to
pick up the book and read with me, it would be great to discuss this book with
any of you!
The book is chalk full of research to back up everything
that is said so it isn’t just one person’s opinion but one person’s deduction
of things (backed up by many more people) from solid research material. And it
has tons of personal stories by numerous different people especially the author
(obviously) which puts a lot of the general ideas into context.
Her first lesson, Sit at the Table is just that. Participate
and get involved in spite of the self-doubt running through your veins. It’s common. It’s felt by some very
successful women including the CEO of IBM and Sheryl Sandberg herself.
Over time your confidence will build but until then you have to fake it to make
it, effectively.
The second lesson, Success and Likeability. This chapter
starts with the telling of the Heidi/Howard case study conducted by a couple of
professors who basically proved that Success and Likeability are positively
correlated for men but negatively correlated for women. It’s one of those
studies where you’re not surprised by the result because you always had a hunch
that was true but didn’t have any evidence to back it up. Well for better or
for worse, now you do. The thing I like about this chapter however is not just
that it tells us that but that it discusses how to deal with this type of
perception. Thing globally, act locally. Stay insistent and smile. Simple
suggestions actually.
The third lesson I’m still reading so will chat about
tomorrow. I’d love to discuss lesson one
and two however if anybody is up for it.
hey Priya... I have been out of reading for a while and it's more due to the time constraints from work, life and the kids after school activities. I really hope that I can find and pick up this book and I can start reading it and we can discuss it. It would be fun I think :)
ReplyDeleteI hope so too. it's a good read so far and a good way to stay connected and keep in touch with each other! Chapters are short so it won't take long to read but fun to talk about afterwards and hear different peoples opinions.
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