Lean In and Workplace Gender Equality
Lean In and Workplace Gender Equality
Q. I’m early in my career and I want to be successful. There are still many women’s issues in the workplace and I want to make sure they don’t impact me negatively. I recently read Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, and was very inspired. Is this just theoretical, or is there real movement to address these issues?A.
Sheryl Sandberg’s book is a must-read for professional women interested in advancing women’s rights in the workplace. Sandberg, COO of Facebook and formerly an executive at Google, has inspired hundreds of women to join “Lean In Circles.” These self-organizing groups provide professional women with peer mentorship, opportunities to network, and a forum to discuss workplace issues. Globally there are more than 26,000 Lean In Circles in 136 countries.
Women have been joining Lean In Circles:
- To connect with other women and support each other
- To create opportunities for themselves, share and receive career advice, and discuss work-life balance
- To find a peer group of women who have similar interests and ambitions. Some women are the only female in their department or even their company
- To access leanin.org, an offering of thought provoking pieces by membership
Workplace inequalities do still exist including pay. There is also often limited female representation on Boards, in networks and clubs. Lean In circles and many other organizations are working to eliminate these.
In Boston, Regional Leader and Chapter Founder, Sarah Joyce, invites women to find out more about the local chapter of Lean In. To move the agenda forward, Lean In Boston hosts monthly meetings alternating between a casual “Cocktails and Chatter” networking evening at a local Boston restaurant and a more structured meeting with guest speakers, panel discussions, and breakout sessions. The next meeting will take place March 30th from 6-8pm at “We Work” by South Station. For more information, click here!
Sheryl Sandberg’s book has inspired many women and men to take initiative in bettering the working environment. Although gender inequality still exists today, it does not have to exist forever.
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