4 Business Books Written by Women for Women
Books for Women! | Jacqueline Jun Ha
It’s no secret that women still face numerous obstacles in the workplace – juggling motherhood and career goals, working in male-dominated industries and spaces, and making ourselves heard. A study done by Catalyst, an advocacy group for female executives, found that women make up less than 5% of the CEOs of the 500 largest U.S. public companies. While there is an endless supply of business books written about how to succeed in a career, most of them are written by men and don’t address the challenges we might face. So here are four business books written by women for women that explore our unique obstacles and how to navigate them.
The Multi-Hyphen Method by Emma Gannon
Emma Gannon challenges the rank structure of the typical workplace and explores ways to balance multiple freelance roles. By including numerous examples of real women juggling full time jobs and side projects, Gannon provides a realistic approach to pursuing your passion. She also encourages readers to redefine our own notions of success and embraces the idea of pursuing passion over profit.
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
Lean In is an important and useful resource for women who want to climb the ranks of their workplace. Sandberg recognizes the various obstacles women face, including the wage gap, gender stereotypes, and balancing career and motherhood, and explores ways in which to navigate them. Sandberg also offers tips on how to balance ambition with appeal, how to negotiate your salary, assess various routes to the top, and lean into your career while you can.
Quiet Girls Can Run the World: BETA by Rebecca Holman
This book by Rebecca Holman is perfect for young, career-focused women. It challenges the idea that only strong women who possess “alpha” characteristics – like winning every argument and working late into the night – can succeed. Holman also shares practical tips on topics, like dealing with sexism in the workplace.
Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers by Lois P. Frankel
Frankel writes for women who are guilty of “nice girl syndrome,” women characterized by their politeness and compliance. While niceness is necessary for success, it is certainly not sufficient. She highlights common mistakes women make in the workplace and provides readers with a guide to better present themselves. She also addresses the tendency to see other women as competition and suggests ways we can empower each other instead of dragging other women down.