Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook and author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead is on a mission to spark a national conversation about women’s place in the world. Although the opportunities for women in America are seemingly endless, they are still limited because of the male dominated nature of the workforce and the choice that women feel they are forced to make between a career and a personal life or family of their own. Typically I am skeptical of the feminist perspective, but Sandberg’s focus on gender equality rather than feminine superiority intrigued me, and her message is particularly relevant to college women, as we are at a pivotal point of decision making which will set the stage for the rest of our lives.
Sandberg explains, “A meager twenty-one of the Fortune 500 CEO’s are women. Women hold about 14 percent of executive officer positions, 17 percent of board seats, and constitute 18 percent of our elected congressional officials.” These low statistics can partially be explained by the fact that women stop themselves short of fully pursuing their career because “doing it all” turns out to be not quite as manageable as we would like to think. This is why Sandberg offers that gender equality in relationships is an important aspect of achieving all of your dreams, not just being the high paid executive, or just a mother. Sandberg challenges women to move forward in their goals passionately, and to not lose their identity or ambition in the process of climbing the corporate ladder.
In the past, businesswomen have aimed to mirror male coworkers by dressing masculine, avoiding makeup and flashy jewelry, and letting their appearance go to the wayside so that they will be taken seriously. It turns out, this is not effective in earning respect from coworkers and working your way to the top. While it is always necessary to appear professional, maintaining your personal style shows your originality, creativity, and distinction. This is also just another way to make sure you do not lose sight of who you are as an individual and what makes you a valuable addition in the classroom or workplace.
Sandberg inspired me to reflect on my own education and career path. I never thought of myself as restricted in any way but in fact, I have limited the extent of my goals because of advice given to me and my personal narrow perspective. Over the years, in response to my plans to earn my law degree after graduating from Rhodes, most people say something like, “That’s great. Then you can work if you want, and if not, you will always have that degree.” Ignorantly I felt flattered by these remarks for years, but Sandberg reminded me that I am not earning my Political Science and law degrees so I can hang up my diplomas like trophies and keep them around as a back-up plan; I am pursuing my education and career path to mold who I am as a person, pursue what I am passionate about, and find personal value in giving back to myself and my community.