Book recommendation – Lean in 📖👩🏻🔬⚛️⚙️
Recently, one of the female leaders in the company i work for recommended me "Lean in", a book written by Sheryl Sandberg who graduated from Harvard and worked as a COO in facebook and as VP for sales & operations in google.
The book discusses the struggles of females in male dominated fields, especially in leadership roles, and how the author navigates through discrimination, stereotyping and sexism.
I was totally blown away. I started reading it thinking it would be just another cliché book about women empowerment, but it turned out to be more than that. I got too stunned to speak whenever she explains -in detail- a situation she went through and how she felt, and I would 100% relate to it. It felt like she is translating all the struggles i go through as a woman in STEM and putting it all into words. This book isn't about throwing the blame on men, it's a way to recognize the unconscious gender bias that is deeply rooted in both men and women, all based on facts and research.
As the youngest engineer in my team - and the only female- , i felt like i can relate to all the struggles she faces as someone who has strong opinions and a lot to say but still might be overlooked just because i am a female. She describes the frustration of being the only woman in a meeting with no chance to speak , how some people might underestimate you no matter how much experience you have and many more challenges she faces.
One of the most shocking realizations she stated in the book is regarding internal vs. external barriers that hold you from reaching your full potential; and how the barriers that are harder to overcome are the once we put on ourselves as women and not what the society forces upon us. One key concept that she also discusses is the difference in mindset for men vs women, and how women always feel like they deserve less than what they actually do, which holds them back from reaching leadership roles unlike men.
I am sure every woman in STEM would be as blown away as i was. You can feel the relief that you're not the only one struggling. We are facing the same challenges no matter how much experience you have or what field you work on! I totally recommend!