Lean in: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead Free

The introduction of the book “Internalizing the revolution” begins by stating that the progresses and advances made by and for women have stalled. In this short overview Sandberg paints an unattractive, yet accurate, depiction of women's current standing within the workforce.

In Chapters 1 and 2, Sandberg addresses the various possibilities for the continued under-representation of women within leadership. Chapter 1 considers the continued ambition gap between men and women, arguing that women's lack of ambition is two fold. First, early education and gender socialization reinforces the gender stereotypes that limit girls’ ambitions from an early age. The second is fear, which leads women to ponder over the outcomes of an unknown and unpredictable failure rather than considering the rewarding possibilities of striving for success. In Chapter 2 “Sit at the table,” Sandberg discusses how the concerns highlighted in Chapter 1 enable the manifestation of the two most common causes which lead women to sit on the sidelines of a boardroom instead on taking their rightful place at the table: the imposter syndrome and confidence. Frustratingly, women are most susceptible to the negative effects of the imposter syndrome (Kolligian and Sternberg, 1991), whereby they feel fraudulent and underserving of their accomplishments, yet their male counterparts will attribute their achievements to their own skills and qualities. Finally, the author argues that it is not the over-dominating confidence of men that is the issue, but that women are riddled with insecurity and self-doubt, and so Sandberg rightly states that it is not until we learn to sit at the table both literally and figuratively, that women will begin to elevate into the upper ranks of leadership.

In Chapters 3-5 Sandberg highlights, what she believes, are some of the greatest barriers for women who aspire for leadership and offers her readers advice and strategies for overcoming these.

Chapter 3 “Success and Likeability,” discusses a prominent, yet frequently overlooked, issue for ambitious women, likeability. Recent research reveals that success and likeability are positively correlated for men yet negatively correlated for women (McGinn and Tempest, 2009), and that individuals continue to adopt outdated stereotypes to evaluate others. Unlike other chapters, Sandberg does not offer any guidance or innovative strategies for overcoming this issue, instead she simply argues that you can not please everyone around you and that the desire to do so will only hold you back. While this opinion may seem cold and dispassionate to some, personal experience has lead me to take Sandberg's advice as true, that the desire to be liked is damaging to those we wish to succeed in leadership. Chapter 4 “It's a jungle gym, not a ladder,” highlights how the framework in which you choose to encase your career decisions can make all the difference. Sandberg disregards the most commonly adopted metaphor for one's career, the ladder, arguing that there are now multiple pathways to “the top,” and so she adopts the metaphor of friend Pattie Sellers “Careers are a jungle gym.” I agree with Sandberg that considering one's career in this manner is empowering, as a jungle gym offers greater creative exploration, particular for women who may start, stop or get held back by other barriers. After yielding one's desire to be liked and embracing a more flexible career framework, for Sandberg, having a mentor is the next crucial component for any individual's career progression. And so, Chapter 5 “Are you my mentor?” discusses the importance of this bond, but also highlights that this relationship cannot be forced. If executed correctly, which it rarely is by women, then the question “will you be my mentor?” need never be asked, as the relationship becomes more important than the label. However, this chapter also reveals that men find it easier than women to acquire and maintain these relationships (O’Brien et al., 2010), as proverbial old boys networks continue to flourish. Therefore, Sandberg advises women to give these relationships time, support each other no matter your position and she pleads for more senior men to mentor women. Yet, although I agree that this relationship may be extremely beneficial for some, I do not feel that the absence of a mentor in my own career has left me at any disadvantage, and so while some may benefit from this involvement, I would argue that it is not a necessity for all who aspire to leadership.

Chapter 6 highlights authentic communication as a crucial component for both individual and organizational success. Sandberg claims that creating a non-hierarchical organization in which all staff members feel free to speak their thoughts and criticisms, without fear of repercussion, is the basis for effectiveness at work. However, she also argues that both men and women consistently shy away from honesty, a reticence that can cause a variety of issues. And so she advocates that organizations must endeavor to create an open and truthful working environment, and that individuals must no longer divide their personal and professional selves, instead we must bring our whole selves to work, believe that our voice matters and finally, use that voice to speak the truth, as well as seeking it for ourselves.

Chapters 7-9 address one of the most continued and prominent issues affecting women in the workplace, the work-family balance. Chapter 7 “Don’t leave before you leave” reviews the decision for women to relinquish career advancement in place of starting a family. In this chapter Sandberg argues that it is not the decision to be a stay-at-home parent that is the issue, but that women aspiring to have a family in the future enter the workplace already looking for an exit (Fetterolf and Eagly, 2011). She argues that this problem begins early, as young girls get the idea that one day they will have to make a choice; succeeding at work or being a good mother. In order to transform this current ultimatum into a natural progression Sandberg argues that the key is finding a challenging and rewarding job, one which makes you want to accelerate, not slow down. That way, if one day a decision has to be made – it will be a real one. The second part to mastering this balance is discussed in Chapter 8 “Making your partner a real partner,” where Sandberg advocates the importance of creating an equal relationship between two parents. As women continue to undertake the majority of childcare and household responsibilities in comparison to their male partners (Milkie et al., 2009), Sandberg argues that women will not be able to achieve their full potential at work if they are not supported equally in the home. Drawing on her own marriage, in which she and Dave Goldberg created a shared earning/shared parenting style, Sandberg argues that it is possible to find a system that works for each couple, if both are willing to adjust. She states that women must step back and give their male partners a chance to take on more responsibility, and that men must rise to the challenge and be more ambitious in the home. I fully agree with Sandberg, as I believe that doing so will not only benefit the children, the happiness and stability of each couple, but it will also encourage the next generation of men and women to hold childcare and household responsibilities in the same esteem that do work responsibilities. Chapter 9 aims to expose a concept, which renders Chapters 7 and 8 impossible, as fraudulent and untrue – “The myth of having it all.” In this chapter Sandberg addresses the dangers embedded within the idea of “having it all”: a successful job, great relationship, perfect children and immaculate home. While this utopian perception is used consistently within society, and is intended to be aspirational, Sandberg argues that it instead makes people, particularly women, feel as though they have fallen short. Through discussing maternity leave, childcare, career progression and time management Sandberg offers her readers a path free from guilt, by simply arguing that no one can have it all, instead we can only do the best with what we have got.

Chapters 10 and 11 conclude the book by suggesting the necessary steps that society, and us as individual, must take in order to keep the progress for women moving forward.

Chapter 10 “Let's start talking about it,” discusses the issues surrounding the title of “feminist” and what it means. Sandberg argues that due to the inaccurate and out-dated stereotypes associated with the word feminist many women continue to be afraid to claim this title, a fear Sheryl Sandberg (and I myself) admit to once having. She highlights that so much emphasis continues to be placed on the gender of “female” in a women's occupation, whereas men are very rarely seen through the same gender lens. And so, Sandberg argues that women must refuse this gender identification and instead be seen for the role that they do, not the gender that they fit. In order to do this she argues that we must eradicate the negative and outmoded assumptions of feminism, a task, I would argue, can only be achieved if women are willing to stand together, proudly claim the feminist title, begin talking about what it truly means and the issues it seeks to overcome. Sandberg's final chapter “Working together towards equality” concludes by highlighting the importance of support, stating that in order to accomplish true equality between men and women we must first acknowledge that we have yet to achieve it, and then, we must attempt to achieve it. She argues that until women have supportive employers, partners and colleagues, and men receive support for contributing within the home, that equal opportunity will cease to exist. Finally, Sandberg advocates that the most crucial support of all is women supporting other women, a concept I fully agree with, we must eradicate the notion that “there can only be one” and begin to support and respect each other's decisions, as only then can we begin the final ascent toward our one common goal – true equality.

Overall, Lean In successfully achieves what it sets out to achieve. By organising the book into 11 different chapters Sandberg is able to individually, and in detail, discuss the various internal barriers that inhibit women's progressions for leadership, as well as offering great advice and strategies for overcoming these hurdles. The writing style of the book is very accessible and despite having academic references, which strengthen its credibility, it is not written academically, and so it widens its audience substantially. Furthermore, Sandberg's decision to include personal anecdotes adds a sense of vulnerability and allows readers to better connect with the book, as it demonstrates her willingness to pull the curtain aside on her own insecurities and reveal to her readers that she too has made mistakes. However, this also serves as a disadvantage for the book, as despite Sandberg's attempt to be honest and reveal all stages or her personal and professional life, it becomes apparent that the circles in which Sandberg was raised in from a young age created networks and opportunities that would be very difficult for the average individual to achieve, and so this may alienate some readers. Also, in addition to discussing individual barriers, Sandberg frequently uses emotive language to advocate the need for revolutionary change in order to achieve equality, yet while this idea is consistently underpinned throughout the book, the way in which we might achieve this is never contextualized. By the end of the book Sandberg has made no suggestions innovative enough to qualify as revolutionary, and so this may create an anti-climax for those readers waiting for such an end. However, the promotion of her new network Lean In, in which men and women are encouraged to join, may, for Sandberg, be the next step toward creating a modern day feminist movement.

In conclusion, Lean In is a worthwhile read for both men and women of any age and any stage of their career. The book is light, positive and great value for money, as the tips and advice given by Sandberg are invaluable. Sandberg deserves to be commended on her efforts, as the advantages of the book heavily outweigh any disadvantages, and in addition to offering valuable career advice for both men and women, Lean In successfully achieves the goal is set out to achieve: “helping women to forge a path through the obstacles, and achieve their full potential.”