Thirtyyearsafterwomenbecame50percentofthecollegegraduatesintheUnitedStates,menstillholdthevastmajorityofleadershippositionsingovernmentandindustry.Thismeansthatwomen’svoicesarestillnotheardequallyinthedecisionsthatmostaffectourlives.InLeanIn,SherylSandbergexamineswhywomen’sprogressinachievingleadershiproleshasstalled,explainstherootcauses,andofferscompelling,commonsensesolutionsthatcanempowerwomentoachievetheirfullpotential.
SandbergisthechiefoperatingofficerofFacebookandisrankedonFortune’slistofthe50MostPowerfulWomeninBusinessandasoneofTime’s100MostInfluentialPeopleintheWorld.In2010,shegaveanelectrifyingTEDTalkinwhichshedescribedhowwomenunintentionallyholdthemselvesbackintheircareers.Hertalk,whichbecameaphenomenonandhasbeenviewedmorethantwomilliontimes,encouragedwomento“sitatthetable,”seekchallenges,takerisks,andpursuetheirgoalswithgusto.
InLeanIn,Sandbergdigsdeeperintotheseissues,combiningpersonalanecdotes,harddata,andcompellingresearchtocutthroughthelayersofambiguityandbiassurroundingthelivesandchoicesofworkingwomen.Sherecountsherowndecisions,mistakes,anddailystrugglestomaketherightchoicesforherself,hercareer,andherfamily.Sheprovidespracticaladviceonnegotiationtechniques,mentorship,andbuildingasatisfyingcareer,urgingwomentosetboundariesandtoabandonthemythof“havingitall.”Shedescribesspecificstepswomencantaketocombineprofessionalachievementwithpersonalfulfillmentanddemonstrateshowmencanbenefitbysupportingwomenintheworkplaceandathome.
Writtenwithbothhumorandwisdom,Sandberg’sbookisaninspiringcalltoactionandablueprintforindividualgrowth.LeanInisdestinedtochangetheconversationfromwhatwomencan’tdotowhattheycan.