Leaning In: A Review of Sheryl Sandberg's Bestseller

by Laura Joy Griffith

A few months ago, I watched a YouTube clip of Sheryl Sandberg on Oprah, talking about a study that found that women are disliked for being professionally successful, while men are esteemed for it.  Intrigued, I vowed to read Sandberg’s book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, a 2013 bestseller, which presents an optimistic view of the challenges women face in the workplace and practical suggestions for men and women who would like to see things change.

As chief operating officer of Facebook, Sandberg has first-hand experience with the obstacles—both internal and external—holding women back from professional success.  Her book engages the heart with a slew of personal stories, and it engages the mind with an abundance of statistics and facts.  Sandberg deals with the sometimes shocking data about women in corporate America in a way that is both honest and sensitive.  She is not afraid of the “f” word: feminism, but she does not preach the man-hating, bra-burning extremism so often associated with that word.

To the average university student, the subject matter of Lean In may seem irrelevant, especially the chapters that focus on balancing career and family.  But I found Sandberg’s principles to be helpful and inspirational even for me.  Whether you are torn between the office and the home or between the classroom and the dorm, whether you are male or female, I would highly recommend Lean In.  Former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice agrees: “Lean In is a superb, witty, candid, and meaningful read for women (and men) of all generations.”