READ THIS: HOW REMARKABLE WOMEN LEAD The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life By Joanna Barsh and Susie Cranston
When she was in school (all-girls), Peachy Deegan's class as a fundraiser one year designed a t-shirt that said on it "150 Years of Women on Top" and we just thought the whole world thought that way. Fortunately equipped with our single sex "We can do anything!" education, we did not realize how differently other women would behave in the workplace and in reading this fabulously comprehensive work, Peachy is both amazed at the accomplished women profiled and surprised by how many women hesitate to fearlessly march forward to the step of their own ideas and leadership, always. She is even more appalled when she hears how organizations are not accelerating the development of their talented women, and hopefully this book, along with other great recent works such as The Shriver Report, will help move such initiatives forward.
This book comes out of thoughtful introspection by Barsh, who wants to leave her mark on history with a legacy in inspiring women to lead on many levels. She is successful in leaving it with this book, at the very least! We are confident that she does that in more than just the book: we were fortunate at Whom You Know to hear Barsh speak at the recent WOWS (Women on Wall Street) conference, hosted by Deutsche Bank.
This is the 15th year that Deutsche Bank has hosted the successful conference and we feel they are a notch above their competition in doing so. Brainy and bright, Barsh proved that she is more than just a super-successful McKinsey powerhouse, she was just as entertaining as Letterman or O'Brien in hosting, if not more so, and we think she should seriously consider comedy when she is through consulting. Deeply analytical, the book is based on a five year study, detailed completely at the end of the work regarding the science underlying Centered Leadership.
In the Leadership Project, Optimism was found to be a key to success, which makes much sense. A winning attitude will get you far in life. Also, optimism can be learned. Flow also is key, and flow is defined by "the phenomenon that happens when your skills are well-matched to an inspiring challenge and you are working towards a clear goal...Flow reinforces resilience."
There are five dimensions of Centered Leadership: Meaning, Framing, Connecting, Engaging and Energizing, and they do overlap. (a lovely diagram of this is on page 12.) Happiness and the happiness equation referenced in Chapter 2 are valuable points to ponder in your own circumstance. (See two other books we have reviewed referring to this):
What we like most about this book however are not the ideas themselves, although they are great; we love the application of these ideas in the lives of the women profiled. Each of them teaches us a different lesson, and in Table 1 on page 291 they are listed in review. We particularly like Anne Mulcahy's "army of people routing for you." Of course, we embrace the whole idea of networking! How do you think Whom You Know began!
We would go on about the women and their lessons, but we think you need the book and we don't want to give anything away: we will only say "How Remarkable Women Lead" is a must-read and encompasses our values at Whom You Know. Successful adaptation, secure optimism and living your life from a place of hope, not fear, are among our favorite and most impressionable ideas from this labor of love. Remember to find mentors, sponsors, your army and most of all keep your own mind focused on your goals and your body acting on achieving them: Reward yourself by keeping your "eye on the prize" and your attitude for leadership in check; all else should fall into place! Whom You Know recommends "How Remarkable Women Lead."
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When Joanna Barsh turned 50, by any measure of personal and professional fulfillment her life was great. She was a senior partner at the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company and had important, exciting work with companies around the globe. She had a happy marriage and two wonderful children. Yet on this milestone birthday something happened to her. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She began to wonder what was wrong.
This personal question led to five years of research that is now the foundation for a profoundly unique and fresh insight into leadership as revealed in HOW REMARKABLE WOMEN LEAD: The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life (Crown Business, 9/29/09).
Joanna and her colleague Susie Cranston investigated what enables some women to sustain careers that take them into top leadership positions in corporations, government, the arts and other fields, while so many women stop short, whether or not they literally opt out.
What they discovered is that the most successful women are not only great at work; they are also great at life. Success comes from having meaning in what you do. Bringing emotions to the workplace and learning to reframe resolves difficult situations. Taking connectivity seriously to fully engage the organization both informs decisions and forges cohesive teams. Facing fears head on removes the veils from opportunities. And addressing energy flows head-on makes it possible for you to sustain a leadership career. For Joanna Barsh, these insights were a breakthrough - a welcome change from the school of deficit-based training, head-but-not-the-heart-
HOW REMARKABLE WOMEN LEAD reveals that many qualities associated with women - resilience, empathy, connectivity, among other things - are actually better suited for today’s changing times. For example women often bring more emotion to the workplace than men, and when those emotions are positive it is powerful. In fact, the research shows that these qualities - most of the time dismissed by our corporate culture - will lead individuals, women and indeed men, to be more creative and have more joy at work, both sources of energy. Something businesses need during these hard times as unemployment rises and those left in the office are struggling with an increased workload and a mandate to do more with less.
Better yet, HOW REMARKABLE WOMEN LEAD combines McKinsey & Company's data-driven approach with absorbing personal stories of some of the world’s most powerful women. Among many others, readers learn about Christine Lagarde working through an impasse at Baker & McKenzie; Dame Stella Rimington rising to become the first woman Director General at MI-5; Ellyn McColgan - bouncing back from catastrophe at ICICI; and Anne Mulcahy and the connections that helped turn Xerox round. Many of the stories show that it was the hard times, both personal and professional, that helped them reach their goals. But the stories also reveal the joy of the journey that comes from emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual well-being - the prize of being a centered leader.
So what are the key lessons? They abound in every chapter through the compelling stories, clear synthesis of academic research, and useful insights and actions. Meaning, framing, connecting, engaging and energy combine to unlock tremendous fuel for performance, for meaningful change in your organization or your life.
In these difficult times, companies need to unlock these leadership capabilities more than ever. HOW REMARKABLE WOMEN LEAD will empower leaders facing opportunity and adversity, both women and men. It also establishes the link between happiness and remarkable performance, thus providing the means for succeeding in an ever-more stressful and uncertain world.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Joanna Barsh is a senior partner in McKinsey & Company's New York Office and a leader in its Organization Practice. Susie Cranston is a consultant in McKinsey & Company's San Francisco office and manages the McKinsey Centered Leadership Project. Geoff Lewis is a senior editor in McKinsey & Company's New York office.
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HOW REMARKABLE WOMEN LEAD
The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life
By Joanna Barsh and Susie Cranston
September 29, 2009 * Price: $27.50 * ISBN: 978-0-307-46169-8
