Ban Bossy

Hello!

     Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg has been one of the fastest selling books in 2013.  If you have not yet read it, I strongly suggest you do.  It focuses on society and the changes (or lack thereof) in America's workplace.  Whether you are a working mother, one who stays-at-home, someone trying to make their mark in the world, or a college student, this is the book for you.  And don't let the title fool you; it is certainly not just for women.  

     I heard this book being raved about by every review I read so when I spoke to my younger sisters (one works in finance and the other is a college student majoring in marketing and entrepreneurship), they said that it was all anyone could talk about in their lives as well.  After having an informal "family book club" and discussing the content every chance we could get, my father decided to read it too!  It is certainly a book that inspires change, hard work, and leadership, and makes you think about society as well as our place in it.

    One of Sandberg's ideas revolves around women having a larger role in the working world (whether that be business, education, government, etc.) and men having a larger role in the household. In Lean In, Sandberg writes "A truly equal world would be one where women ran half our countries and companies and men ran half our homes." In order for this to happen, we have to change the way our little girls and boys are brought up.  We have to teach children, especially girls, how to lead, be confident, and take opportunities that come their way, no matter what others may think.  

     The first easy way to achieve this is to change the way we speak to girls.  In Sandberg's book, she writes "When girls try to lead, [they] are often labeled bossy.  Boys are seldom called bossy because a boy taking the role of a boss does not surprise or offend."  Sandberg wants us to start by banning the word "bossy" from describing girls who are strong, confident, and take leadership roles.  Please join Sandberg, Beyonce, Condoleezza Rice, and others on making this happen!