Krishna
Nice. She talks about gender inequality that lingers even after decades of attempts to get women equal status and rights in the US – judging from the corporate success. Simple examples of how she never thought of parking spots for pregnant women until she herself became pregnant and experienced the difficulties of parking far, and others get you right away. She has an easy, self deprecating and therefore endearing style in talking about serious gender discrimination issues.
I agree that women are being discriminated even after all the struggle over the years and they should get equal treatment but bringing flawed logic in support grates. For instance here is the argument. For each dollar men got women used to get 59 cents forty years ago and despite all the struggles for equality “now” (that is when the book was written) they get 77 cents for every dollar. She quotes someone saying, in jest no doubt, “Forty years and eighteen cents. A dozen eggs have gone up ten times that amount!” Hang on a minute. We are not comparing absolute salaries. If we did the increase would be much more than 17 percent, more than the eggs. A more apt comparison would be that if the price of white eggs vs brown eggs had gone up 170% (or even 17%) then it would be astonishing. Somehow I do not think it did. Totally flawed logic like this grates.
She goes on and on about how women suffer from a complex of self confidence. Interesting the first three times but then you yawn.
She keeps giving women advice to get rid of what she calls innate self doubt and grab opportunities with both hands. A lot of examples, a lot of studies quoted, a lot of personal examples, so much so that this feels a bit like an autobiography. Interesting, but not fascinating stuff.
She talks about how opportunities arrive unannounced and how you want to grab them. She talks about mentoring. There are some really good points about women and what is holding them back. Definitely she does not support glass ceilings or conspiracy theories, which is good.
Even if you are not a woman, this gives you a good perspective on what is holding them back. I was pleasantly surprised by the conversational style, which is effective. However, the advice is commonsense and you don’t come out with a profound understanding of new insights. There are no ‘aha’ moments in the book, at least not for me.
Her comments about mentoring and the difficulties it causes women to be mentored without other aspects like sexual interest associated with it in the minds of others is interesting.
She talks about women giving up career choices because of the long term plan to have children way before it happens.
The book really comes into its own and provides new and useful information when Sheryl points out the gender inequality at house help (not news to any of us) but how to tackle it, and why it should be dealt with even when the kids are about grown up and are about to leave the nest – it influences them and their children next when they set up their family. Nice point. Very real.
Also nice is the fact that everyone assumes it is done and equality has been achieved only to find in real workplace that it is not really there still. She has a point about how even well meaning men and women (yes women too) have this cultural baggage from which they are unable to free themselves, and even are unaware of it.
It is interesting that Sheryl does not argue that every woman should aspire to the corporate ladder or that more men should stay at home. She just says that men and women both should be free to choose and also quotes her mom who moved from career to housewife to woman involved in charity and how much she respects her mother. Nice.
But you notice that Sheryl had a privileged life but freely admits that it was easier for her to choose to lean in because of her support system all through her life, including money. But still the message comes across clearly and you cannot disagree with her arguments.
A readable book. 5/ 10
– – Krishna (Aug 2018)