If you read one book this Spring, make it Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. I know, I know, many of us hardly have time to read at all. But I ordered this book from Amazon (where it is the #2 best-selling book right now) and I have looked forward to reading it every night even for a few minutes before I go to sleep. For me personally, there are 3 reasons I love this book 1) I vaguely “know” Sheryl Sandberg because I went to Harvard, too, a few years later–it is fun recognizing names and places that she mentions 2) My career, too, has resembled more of a “jungle gym” than a ladder and 3) The advice that Sheryl gives is spot-on, smart, and applicable not only to work situations, but also to relationships outside of work, including friendships and marriages–basically, any situation that requires you to “lean in,” speak up, and be pro-active, in the “right” ways.
There are so many gems of advice in Lean In. One of my favorites is to speak up and ask what you can do for someone else if they are in a position to hire you or give you an opportunity. Don’t say “My name is such-and-such and I am proficient in this-or-that.” Instead say, “What do you need help with right now (because I can help you with it)?” Sheryl’s advice is interwoven with anecdotes about work and home life, and even though she is perhaps now one of the most famous businesswomen in the world, everything she says seems eminently relatable and practical for all of us–no matter how big or small our careers are (she also has very good advice for women looking to re-enter the workforce after child-rearing). Buy Lean In now (the hardcover costs less than $14 at Amazon.com) as a gift to yourself or for a friend. It is an excellent investment.