By Ana Oglivie

This is a MUST READ for 2024! In her college years, author Sheryl Sandberg experienced a level of gender equality in education and she expected to see the same equality in the workforce. She later saw that women began to drop out of the workforce and embrace motherhood. But she questioned why women felt they had to choose between having a family or a career. Why not both? Not every woman has a choice and that is deeply acknowledged. But why does this personal choice invite such public opinion and at times, harassment? I am aware this critical choice has a network of arguments that could each be met with their own counterarguments. As a single woman with no children, I am still moved as Sandberg has expertly written her book with a determination to do both. Her intentional pursuit of both her professional aspirations and family goals is an inspiring prelude to the novelties of life for maybe not all, but definitely many women.

I can count on a single hand how old I was when I became hyperaware of my body, who I smiled at, and how big my curls would be when the water dried away. I can count on two hands how old I was when I started wondering what people thought when I wore tight jeans and a top that hugged my chest. And many times I didn’t have to wonder, I heard the way people observed me and my feminine body and the way I could carry on a conversation with a random adult. Every aspect of me grew: my hair, my body, my voice, and somehow, so did my urge to hide it all. It’s taken some time, but I’ve realized that the more I focus on how people could perceive me, the more I would stray away from who I am. I can’t lead when I lose control of who I am. I can’t lean into anything without a solid understanding of what I stand for. I’m grateful that I still found ways to express myself as a child. And now, as I build my career and establish my dreams, I have no choice but to lean into my womanhood. So, this was the perfect time to read Sheryl Sandberg’s message in Lean In: don’t hide. Don’t hide what makes you a woman. Be your version of a woman — use your brains, your passion, and your voice. You don’t have to dim your femininity to lead professionally. In fact, it can be the key to making a difference in a world that is accustomed to male leaders.

Female leaders bring fresh perspectives, but not without first breaking through ceilings, obstacles, stereotypes, self-doubt, and maybe the worst of them all… the walls that other women have created. I’ve often wondered why the demise of one woman to another always seems to cut deeper. I think it’s largely because it just doesn’t make sense. As women, we seem to ignore our empathetic tendencies when it comes to one another and instead replace them with fear, insecurity, and jealousy. Sandberg talks about this phenomenon and shares several ways she and her female colleagues have found success in supporting one another.

Before she breaks down techniques that women and women leaders can use to assert necessary influence and set appropriate boundaries, Sandberg presents a chapter on the Leadership Ambition Gap. This is where I became hooked. She explained the impact of children picking up on societal cues from a young age. For generations, girls were fed ideas of their futures that were much more limited than their boy counterparts. This is why it is so important for youth and even young adults to see themselves in their role models. While the conversation on racial, cultural and spiritual role models is not within the scope of Lean In, I think that its worth mentioning that this same principle of identifying aspirational models goes beyond gender.

Lean In is full of takeaways you’ll have to read. And once you read them, I encourage you to internalize your takeaways with great ambition. Sandberg’s book “makes a case for leaning in, for being ambitious in any pursuit” (10). Very rarely do we witness half-hearted success in our lives. She expresses her belief that female leaders are a significant key to the corporate world’s future. Still, male leaders must be educated in the shortage of mentorship and support personnel investment in junior women. Sandberg advocates for communication that embeds authenticity into each decision and interaction. Great leaders are conscious, simple, and honest in the messages they portray. Great leaders also know how to listen and signal that they’re open to input. And maybe not everyone is on a quest to be a leader, but I firmly believe we are our own best advocates.

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

“And maybe the compassion and sensitivity that have historically held some women back will make them more natural leaders in the future. In the meantime, we can all hasten this change by committing ourselves to both seek — and speak — our truth.” SHERYL SANDBERG in LEAN IN

What I love the most about this book is that Sandberg spends only a percentage of her 228 pages identifying the problems we are all too familiar with. She also spends most of her book blueprinting how we can overcome; and lead by leaning into solutions. From ignoring that voice in our heads working to minimize problems that largely affect women, to allowing men to be allies or simply taking a seat at the table. As a woman and a leader, this was a humbling reminder to further embrace my womanhood and leadership opportunities. A combination not meant to be mutually exclusive, but collectively exhaustive in this lifelong pursuit of meaningful purpose.

Side Note: As I was writing this review, I came across this video from a woman that I follow on Instagram. She is a mother and a content creator who has created an online community where she shares relatable stories about her family and her life. I thought this clip added to the current network of takes on motherhood and business woman.

You are welcome to comment your thoughts below. Thank you for reading and I hope you decide to check out Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg.