As I wrap up the book "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead," there is only one question left to ask. Now what?
Where do women go from here? How do we work towards gender equality in the workforce?
The answer is simple: lean in, all the way. Here are a few ways the author suggested that women lean in all the way during their professional careers. 1. Lean in to Excel. So many women have been told in high school, college, and during their developing careers that they NEED to find a mentor and sponsor to help them climb the corporate ladder by introducing them to the right people and helping them avoid silly mistakes. The problem is that women have a false perception about what a mentor is. They equate them to Prince Charming where they wait to be swept off their feet and are pushed to excel in order to reach success. This is not how it works at all. Simply put by the author, "Get a mentor, you will excel." Or, "Excel, you will get a mentor." I don't know about you, but I prefer the latter. If women lean in all the way right from the start, make a name for themselves, and show talent/potential, eventually a mentor-ship will occur. But if a person is waiting for someone else to make success happen for them, they will never stand out or show that they have what it takes to reach the top.
2. Lean into Opportunities. As ambitious women enter the workforce, it is an immediate race for promotions, projects, and opportunities. Everyone is on their A-game in hopes of impressing the right individual who can change the course of their career by catapulting them to the top of the corporate ladder. The problem is that since there is a larger percentage of male executives, more males are chosen as the standouts over women. Thus, immediately, women are already facing an uphill battle out of the starting gates. This problem only worsens when a women is in a relationship and is thinking of having a child. Whether women consciously know it or not, they begin to scale back, take lesser roles in a project, and even hesitate to take promotions. Instead of leaning into their careers and taking all the opportunities that come their way, they are setting themselves back farther. This is why, statistically, when women come back from maternity leave they feel that they have fallen behind, are less fulfilled, and eventually leave the workforce if they are financially capable. It is so important to never let up, unless that is the right choice for you and your family. Never settle because you think people will judge you for being a career-loving parent (a much nice term than "working mom").
3. Lean in to Change the Future
Finally, I feel that the reason we do anything in life is to do our best and better setup the next generation for success. Thus, if we want to help the next generation of ambitious and talented women make it to the corner office, become that CEO or COO, or have the confidence to start their own companies, was must continue to do our part in the grand scheme of things. Be a career-loving parent. Be an ambitious woman who leads the way for other women to make it to the top. Lean in to change the future for the next generations of women.