According to Sheryl Sandberg, the no.2 at Facebook, women are holding themselves back. It is an interesting message from a woman who has become such a poster-child for female empowerment in the workplace.
Although I find her message compelling, and at some points convincing, I can’t help but notice there is an anti-feminist train in her thinking. Her argument is largely based on pop psychology and anecdotal evidence of how women act in the workplace, and she has three major points:
1. Sit at the table – don’t sit on the sidelines and let men take charge of meetings and decisions.
2. Make your partner a real partner – women earning the same amount as men do 2x the housework and 3x the childcare. But equal partnerships are happier and are 50% less likely to end in divorce, so make sure your partner does his share.
3. Don’t leave before you leave – women start planning for children long before they are pregnant, and consciously or sub-consciously do not put themselves forward for promotions. “Keep your foot on the gas pedal” till the last moment.
Do these stereotypes fit you? Do you relate to her argument? Are women our own worst enemy in the workplace?
take a breath 