Reasons for Hope
I started studying women in the workplace fifteen years ago. I’ve written blogs about retaining female talent and gender bias. I also wrote a blog about my frustration with
Staying In is as Important as Leaning In
As I have mentioned before, I believe Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In provides good advice for women who aspire to top leadership positions. However, in my research interviewing and
Michelle Obama on the State of Women
A few days ago the White House hosted The United State of Women Summit. The day was full of fantastic speakers covering issues including violence against women, health and wellness,
Are You an Impostor?
In a recent interview Adele was asked what she thought about her album “21” being ranked by Billboard Magazine the top album of all time. She said she was beyond
Where is the Progress?
Most women quit their careers for one of two reasons: 1) the workplace doesn’t offer the flexibility or support they need to fulfill their many responsibilities and/or 2)
Forget Work-Life Balance, Pursue Well-Being Instead
Trying to fulfill professional, family, and personal responsibilities is a constant struggle for everyone. A Google search of work-life balance shows almost 200 million results. Juggling competing demands is especially
Beyond Happy
My book is finished! I’m beyond happy! It hits the shelves in August 2015 (ATD Press). If you want to be notified as soon as the book is available
Have You Thanked Your Role Models?
Today is the 5-year anniversary of my blog. I’m surprised I have kept it up for this long. But it is more surprising that I even started. I had
Feeling Overwhelmed?
Time confetti. Isn’t that a wonderful way to describe the feeling of never having enough time to do anything? The only free time you have comes in tiny bits
A Plea For Meaningful Part-Time Work
According to the Gallup World Poll, people who voluntarily work part-time are happier, less stressed, and have higher job satisfaction than other employees. Obviously, not everyone can afford to work
What Working Women Need to Know
Despite significant advances, women still face discrimination in the workplace. Joan Williams has studied women and work for over 25 years and through her research she has identified four types
You Can’t Have it All! Focus on What Matters
Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, and Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, are leaning into their careers. Others, like Anne-Marie Slaughter, have made different choices. She decided to scale back when
What’s Good About Leaning In
I have to admit that, despite my passion for the issue of women’s careers, I didn’t rush to read Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In when it was
The Long Hours Problem
You’ve probably noticed that I’m a huge advocate of workplace flexibility. Giving employees more choices regarding when and where to do their work can really help them to
Celebrating Telework Week
Since this is Telework Week, I thought I’d discuss the critical role that telecommuting plays in creating positive workplaces where employees thrive. I was shocked and extremely disappointed when
Choosing a Career is Like Buying Shoes
In her book Working Identity, Herminia Ibarra argues that the best way to choose a career is to try out different things. She believes that doing and experimenting are more
Using Company Culture to Attract, Retain, and Engage Talent
Next week I’m moderating a conference, organized by the Northern Virginia Technology Council and sponsored by Invertix Corporation, entitled “Best practices for recruiting and retaining talent”. The panelists, winners
4 Keys for Keeping Female Talent
Companies with more women on their top management team outperform companies with fewer women managers. Yet most women don’t stick around long enough to make it to the top.
Positive Steps for Creating Work-Life Fit
I’m attending the International Academy of Management and Business Conference in San Francisco next week. There I will present the results of a study I did about ways to
It's OK to Ask
I was raised in the South where we were taught that it’s not nice to ask for things. If I got thirsty while playing with my friends in the
Why Women Continue to Earn Less Than Men
The White House just released a new report entitled Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being. The first comprehensive federal report on women in almost 50 years shows
Learning Critical for Realizing Potential
“To become what we are capable of becoming is the only end in life.” – Robert Louis Stevenson People long to identify and fulfill their purpose in life. Maslow called it
Do Women Really have a Choice?
I strongly believe that positive organizations are inclusive. They recognize the value of diversity and take intentional steps to create environments where all individuals can thrive. Unfortunately, too many companies
Increasing Women’s Participation in Business
Training women in Peru I spent last week in Lima, Peru working with the Thunderbird School of Global Management to design a training program for women. The goal of the