Working Women

With the Dove readings and videos I had for school this week, I couldn’t help but think about other struggles women face in our society. Not only do we have an impossible standard of beauty to strive for, but we also struggle in the workplace. I’m not even necessarily talking about sexism from male co-workers, but how we (as women) tend to hold ourselves back. Many of you may have read the book Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg; if you haven’t, I definitely recommend it. In her book, Sandberg explains how men often go after opportunities, even if they don’t meet all of the qualifications, whereas women only go after an opportunity if they meet all of the qualifications (think: applying for a job or promotion). According to Sandberg, women are more likely than men to suffer from imposter syndrome; I have experienced the type of feelings described with imposter syndrome, but I didn’t think of it as a common experience because it’s not something commonly discussed in social circles. Sandberg gives several tips on how we, as women, can recognize when we are holding ourselves back, and what we can do instead. She talks about the importance of mentorship, and I can proudly say that I have one of the best mentors I could ask for. I’m also fortunate to work in an industry that has a higher percentage of women in executive leadership positions than most other industries in the United States. In her book, Sandberg also talks about sharing the responsibility of parenting. Although I am not a mother, I have seen most of my friends share the responsibility of parenting with their spouses. As a woman or as the father, friend or spouse of a woman, have you noticed that women tend to hold themselves back? What can you do differently for yourself or for the women in your life to help them achieve more and lean in?