The Wall Street Journey reports that women are 13% more likely than men to reach their fundraising goals on sites like Kickstarter, where anyone can set up a project and request others to help fund it. The article doesn’t talk about the reasons for this success, so I’m interested in your take… Why do you […]
Early one morning, Peg popped her head into her boss’ office and said, “Sorry, Bill. Do you have a minute?” In a late-morning project meeting, she said, “I’m sorry, but can I ask a question?” Riding the elevator to go out for lunch, Peg was jostled by another rider. “Sorry,” she said reflexively. And on […]
“Even though my efforts helped that project succeed, I’m not comfortable tooting my own horn.” “It’s really hard for me to leave the office on time when I know my staff is still there slaving away.” “I just can’t seem to take a day out for myself.” Women leaders say that kind of stuff to […]
A client said to me once, “Really, Leslie, what does grace have to do with leadership? Does the heart really matter?” My answer is absolutely ‘yes,’ and Microsoft CEO Stephen Elop has given us a master class in why. A couple of weeks ago, Elop sent out an all-company memo announcing layoffs at Microsoft. If you haven’t […]
The public discourse surrounding New York Times’ editor Jill Abramson’s recent firing has been fascinating to watch. Though we still don’t know exactly what happened and why, one of the prevailing theories is that Abramson was fired partly because of her “brusque” manner and “pushy” approach to confronting top management about compensation. Abramson’s firing has […]
I often hear women say that they can’t show emotion at work or they’ll get ‘killed.’ Historically, it has been risky – even career-ending – for women leaders to show emotion, especially in male-dominated cultures. Somehow it makes them seem less credible, less tough, less … you name it. So for survival, women try to […]
Gracesters, this one’s for you. What happens when you imagine saying ‘no’ to someone? Does your chest tighten or your stomach knot up? Do emotions arise? Anxiety, perhaps, or even panic? How do you react mentally? Maybe you get fuzzy-headed or think, “Oh, I couldn’t possibly refuse.” Now recall a recent time when you actually […]
Mary Barra is making history. She’s the new CEO of General Motors and the first woman to head up a large auto manufacturer. It’s big news for sure, but it’s got me wondering: is Barra’s gender of any real consequence? Here are a few different perspectives on that question. Parity. From the gender equality point […]
In the wake of Nelson Mandela’s passing, the world is saying good bye to one of the greatest leaders of our time – indeed, of all time. Over the last week, so much has been said about his character, his brilliance, his humility and his impact as a leader. I find myself with nothing to […]
Harvard Business Review’s September cover kind of says it all. It shows a profile of a woman and three phrases in bold letters: “Bossy” “Emotional” “Too nice” If you’re a woman in the workplace, you have probably noticed that you’re a lot more likely than your male colleagues to get stylistic criticism. Like it or […]