11/30/2020
Gillard, the former prime minister of Australia, and Okonjo-Iweala (Reforming the Unreformable), the former finance minister of Nigeria, offer a unique study of female leadership based on conversations with eight women leaders from around the world. The interviewees, including Hillary Clinton, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, and European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde, answer questions based on the authors’ hypotheses about why there are so few female leaders and how they get treated differently than their male counterparts. One key to enabling women leaders, Gillard and Okonjo-Iweala suggest (and their profile subjects confirm), is a childhood in which girls are taught they are no different than boys. Other topics include the disproportionate attention paid to women’s appearances, the requirement that female leaders be both authoritative and nurturing, how to address being perceived as “a bit of a bitch,” and the importance of networking. Noting that the Australian Parliament House has a childcare center and the U.K. House of Commons allows maternity leave, the authors reassure readers that family life and professional ambition can coexist. Full of practical advice and insights into the careers of a diverse and impressive array of women, this is a valuable handbook for putting more women in positions of power. (Feb.)
12/11/2020
A significant lack of women in leadership roles is still prevalent in the world today. Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia, and Okonja-Iweala, Nigeria's Finance Minister from 2003–2006 and 2011–2015 and former Managing Director of the World Bank, collaborate to examine why this is happening and consider ways to work toward equality. Both women have drawn upon their own experiences and also on interviews they conducted with noted women leaders today, including Hillary Clinton, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Michelle Bachelet, Christine Lagarde, Joyce Banda, Erna Solberg, and Jacinda Ardern. The authors study the diverse experiences of these women and how they became leaders. Notably, they take care to consider the obstacles women in leadership face, especially the hurdles for women entering politics. The ultimate lesson learned is that there is no "right way" to be a woman leader; all situations are unique and there are no specific set of rules for balancing work and personal endeavors. Also mentioned is the impact of COVID-19 on leadership and home life for women. The book concludes with bibliographic notes and a historical timeline of women leaders. VERDICT A thought-provoking study of women and leadership and an outstanding contribution to this topic. Highly recommended.—Lucy Heckman, St. John's Univ. Lib., Queens Village, NY
★ 2020-11-18
Eight of the world’s most influential women talk about political double standards with Gillard, the former prime minister of Australia, and Okonjo-Iweala, the first female finance minister of Nigeria.
The authors begin this sobering look at female leaders’ progress—or lack thereof—by noting that only 57 of the 193 members of the United Nations have had a woman in their highest executive office, such as president or prime minister. Curious about gender biases, they interviewed an impressive all-star cast of power players who overcame sexism and sometimes other long odds: Michelle Bachelet was tortured by the Pinochet regime before becoming the first female president of Chile, and Joyce Banda and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf left abusive spouses en route to the presidencies of Malawi and Liberia. Drawing on academic studies as well as their interviews, the authors look beyond glass ceilings and explore hazards such as the “glass cliff,” the tendency of organizations to “embrace women’s leadership when they are in trouble,” as Britain’s Conservative Party did when it reached out after the Brexit vote to Theresa May, who looks back on the event here. Other women discuss a “glass labyrinth” of barriers, including that a woman must come across “as ‘man’ enough to do the job but feminine enough not to be viewed as unlikeable, or even held in contempt.” Hillary Clinton and Christine Lagarde, head of the European Central Bank, recall comments about their hair while prime ministers Erna Solberg of Norway and Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand acknowledge the vital roles of a partner and relatives in helping with family responsibilities. In an especially strong argument, the authors encourage candidates not to reinforce the stereotype that high-ranking women will necessarily create a gentler world. Throughout, each contributor is refreshingly open and candid about their experiences. The case for female leadership, they rightly note, is a moral one: People should see in leaders “a reflection of the full diversity of society.”
Much-needed, frank talk from exceptional female leaders about how they’ve dealt with sexism in the line of duty.
"Women and Leadership is a powerful reminder that there is no limit to what women can accomplish when we have the chance. Written by two celebrated, trailblazing leaders, it is a deeply personal portrait of the obstacles women in politics have overcome and the barriers we still face. Every page of this book is brimming with candor, wisdom and humor—leaving the reader rightfully convinced that while women still have to try a little harder and fight a little longer, sooner or later we will get the job done.” —Madeleine K. Albright, the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State "This remarkable exploration into women leaders—and why there aren’t more of them—is an indispensable guide to addressing sexism and overcoming inequities." —Ms. "Much-needed, frank talk from exceptional female leaders about how they’ve dealt with sexism in the line of duty." —Kirkus Reviews "The ultimate lesson learned is that there is no “right way” to be a woman leader; all situations are unique and there are no specific set of rules for balancing work and personal endeavors...A thought-provoking study of women and leadership and an outstanding contribution to this topic." —Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW “Full of practical advice and insights into the careers of a diverse and impressive array of women, this is a valuable handbook for putting more women in positions of power.” —Publishers Weekly "For women leaders, the path to power is never smooth nor does it follow a straight line...The renown all have achieved leads to much introspection and learning, resulting in hypotheses about their collective lives that ring all too true. The takeaways are simple yet complex, and bathed in contradictions: Is it possible to call out sexism as a female? How to balance mother guilt with work? What’s the right way to be a woman leader? (There isn’t just one.) Snapshots of the pathways to power." —Booklist "The authors leverage their positions for unprecedented access to powerful women, and they offer their own stories with humility and clear eyes. Their posture in the book is the perfect portrayal of women eschewing competition to support other women—one of the most vital themes examined in the book. Every page brims with admiration and respect for women in leadership, the difficulties they face, and the diverse gifts they offer. Despite the grim statistics about how few world leaders are women, the book is hopeful and encouraging. It showcases the resilience and determination of women leaders and the impact they have, bringing wisdom from a variety of disciplines, including neuroscience, psychology, and economics, to bear. Its ending calls out specific lessons for men, too, calling them to a supportive role for women leaders." —ForeWord Review “This book is worth reading for the insights into these remarkable women – a dream dinner party guest list—but the authors also examine the statistics, the biases (conscious and unconscious) and the structural obstacles that face women.” —Sydney Morning Herald
