18 Mar Women in Business: Lean In? Lean Out? Stand Up Straight! A Male Perspective: Part I

Sheryl Sandberg, the incredibly talented COO of Facebook, has helped reignite a debate about as old as the feminist movement and maybe the human race itself. What do women need to do in order to find equality not only in the workplace, but in the executive suite? Is it possible to be as driven and successful career-wise when women still tend to carry more of the child-rearing load at home? Can you do it without sacrificing good parenting? Sandberg says yes. Other authors, like Georgetown University law professor Rosa Brooks, disagree. Brooks argues in a recent essay that the “lean in” approach advocated by Sandberg will create burnout, exhaustion, and business dropouts. Brooks advocates business adjusting more to supporting work/life balance for all employees, including women.

It is sad that virtually every article I read about challenges women face in the workplace is written by a woman. In my most recent book (The Entrepreneur’s Growth Startup Handbook) and columns in SmartCEO magazine (www.smartceo.com) I note that it seems important that the male perspective be elucidated. Shocking revelation: men and women are different. It is often difficult for men to truly understand women, where it is said that men are easy to understand, like an on-off switch. At first the women’s lib movement taught women to act and even dress like men. Then as the feminist era evolved, feminism in the workplace was encouraged. Flex-time, corporate child care and generous maternity and family leaves abounded, and still thankfully do. But which is more important to success? Being hard driving? Having a work environment supportive of child-rearing obligations? Both?

Sandberg says lean in and immerse yourself. Brooks says lean out and find that balance. I say to women: stand up straight! When you find confidence, determination, a true and contributing life partner if kids are on the scene and yes life balance, I believe you can then find the greatest likelihood of success, and breaking through ceilings of all see-through nature. As we will cover in the posts ahead, “having it all” doesn’t have to mean doing it all. Ah, now there’s a cool sound bite. As we will see, in the end, in the same manner as men face, women must make choices. How they handle those choices, not in 1800, 1950 or even 1975 but in 2014, is what my concept of standing up straight is all about.