Lean In - Sheryl Sandberg

Here are some current social issues addressed by this summary of the book "Lean In", by Sheryl Sandberg:

Why are women minorities in leadership positions? Even if it is a job that requires little physical effort?

How did Sheryl manage to reach an important leadership role on Facebook, the giant social media that belongs to one of the most famous names in business, Mark Zuckerberg?

Come check out these and other answers that will motivate you to persist and achieve greater results in your career!

About the book "Lean In"

Sheryl Sandberg's book "Lean In", published on March 11, 2013, by Alfred A. Knopf Publishing Group, presents the challenges the author faced to gain notable positions at work, in addition to raising the discussion of the gender issue based on academic research and personal observations.

She proposes reflections to encourage women to believe in their dreams so that they can also win prominent positions.

All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Lean In group, an organization that encourages women to strive for their goals. It will also be donated to other women's support organizations.

About the author Sheryl Sandberg

Facebook's COO Sheryl Sandberg also served as vice president of sales and operations at Google and was chief of staff for the US Treasury.

She was elected the fifth most powerful woman in the world in 2011, according to Forbes magazine.

And she also wrote the book "Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy".

To whom is this book indicated?

The book "Lean In" is suitable for those who struggle against gender inequality at work and at home.

More than that, it is also for all people who are interested in deepening their knowledge about the challenges women face in achieving leadership positions.

Main ideas of the book "Lean In"

• Internal obstacles are one of the reasons that prevent women from gaining prominent positions in the labor market;
• A larger number of women in leadership positions is essential to guarantee a more equal world;
• The issue of the "myth of doing everything" entitled to women creates barriers when it comes to reconciling personal and professional life.

This summary divides the book into three aspects that are addressed by Sheryl Sandberg: "Subconscious Barriers", "Breaking Barriers" and "Empower Yourself".

Do you want to know more about them? So let's go!

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Overview: Subconscious Barriers

Women are barred from the labor market by prejudice, lack of opportunity, and, often, by creating their own barriers, as Sheryl Sandberg states.

As a result of a socio-cultural structure, women were denied the incentive to work, keeping them immersed in the home environment and only aiming at caring for the family.

For those who bypass this scenario and enter the labor market, some reactions are still latent, such as lack of self-confidence, fear, and feelings of incapacity and inferiority in relation to men.

These factors that permeate their daily lives cause them to fear exploring new opportunities at work, besides becoming an obstacle for them to trust themselves to leverage their careers.

To illustrate this, the book "Lean In" has personal examples of the author, as on her first day working at Facebook. When she was driving on her way to work, she got the feeling of uncertainty about being able to do that.

She also reports the countless times she did not believe in herself and failed in doing something because of that, and the times she noticed a similar behavior in other women.

Overview: Breaking Barriers

Sheryl Sandberg talks about the importance and necessity for men to be also recognized at home, just as women must have this recognition at the workplace.

She gives examples that women often create barriers when men start to do their part in child care. When analyzing and judging the father's behavior towards the child, they end up inhibiting them and making them retreat.

For this reason, she emphasizes the value of always encouraging them, treating them equally, and dividing responsibilities in household chores and child care.

Overview: Empower Yourself

As a result of what was reported in the previous topic, Sheryl Sandberg gives tips on how to get around those feelings when they come.

One of them is to "fake it till you make it". According to a study, when someone is subjected to a power status, the hormones of dominance (testosterone) increase and, therefore, the person feels more capable to perform a task.

Also, the work needs to be continuous. As she states in the book "Lean In", it's necessary to accept the risks you are facing, choose to keep growing, challenge yourself, and ask for promotions to leverage your career.

Lastly, she emphasizes the importance of women mutually pursuing this fight to achieve satisfactory results.

What do other authors say about it?

John C. Maxwell, author of "Leadership Gold" says that the best leaders are those who can listen. Listeners know what is happening because they pay attention. They learn better than others because they absorb from many places. Also, good listeners have the ability to see other people's strengths and weaknesses.

In the book "Emotional Intelligence", the author Daniel Goleman clarifies that IQ contributes only 20% to our success in life. The rest is the result of emotional intelligence, which includes factors such as motivation, persistence, impulse control, emotion regulation, empathy, and hope.

Lastly, Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter and James Noel bring the concept of six essential leadership passages in the book "The Leadership Pipeline", which represent steps in an organization's hierarchy. They also underline the importance of developing people and planning leadership succession.

Okay, but how can I apply this to my life?

• Make it happen! You have to be an agent of transformation in the fight against gender inequality;
• Take the initiative to talk about it in your group of friends, family, and even at the work;
• Propose reflections about gender issues in the labor market, the obstacles and challenges for women to enter these spaces, and the search for solutions to minimize these work opportunities' discrepancy;
• Defend valid attitudes that allow women to have their space and conquer their results, while feeling happy with their choices, being professionals or housewives.

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