Reviews
In their compelling new book, Williams (Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings College of Law) and Dempsey (a student at Yale Law School who blogs for Huffington Poston women's issues) spell out the two sets of rules, higher standards and closed doors that many women encounter on the job these days., "Joan Williams and Rachel Dempsey clearly and vividly detail the double standards and the dead ends that so many women face in the workplace. Fortunately, the authors also provide easy-to-follow strategies to counter these scenarios. This book can help women claim their seat at the table and lean in to their careers."-Sheryl Sandberg,author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, If youre a working woman searching for the best pocket guide to success at work, here it is. Prove-It-Again, the Tightrope, The Maternal Wall, the Tug of War, Double Jeopardythe distinguished scholar Joan Williams and her daughter guide women through each of these sticky wickets. Their invaluable advice is no substitute for broader changes in the workplace, they note, but it can help position more women to accomplish that change., Forty years later, gender bias shouldnt exist in the workplace, but it does, in large part because many of us dont recognize its most common forms. Thats a pitfalland for me, at least, a pratfall. ReadingWhat Works for Women at Work would be a good first step in avoiding both., "Williams and Dempsey provide the essential bridge between research findings on prejudice and discrimination and the problems that women experience at work. Solutions exist, and these authors present them. What Works for Women at Work is a must-read book for everyone committed to creating gender-fair workplaces."-Alice H. Eagly,author of Through the Labyrinth, Much of its advice is solid career counsel for anyone looking to move up...ultimately the tone of this book is quite hopeful...[T]his book's message: If we make ourselves and the men in our lives aware of the roadblocks women still face, and we use some of the many tools the authors offer in this volume, we are likely to see women move ahead more quickly. In fact I wish there were a way to interest men in reading this book. They would get the most out of it., "Much of its advice is solid career counsel for anyone looking to move up...ultimately the tone of this book is quite hopeful...[T]his book's message: If we make ourselves and the men in our lives aware of the roadblocks women still face, and we use some of the many tools the authors offer in this volume, we are likely to see women move ahead more quickly. In fact I wish there were a way to interest men in reading this book. They would get the most out of it."-Susan Adams , Forbes.com, "This book is a must-read for any woman who is feeling frustrated or thwarted in her attempts to advance at work. Williams and Dempsey balance deeply personal accounts with practical guidance. With candor and humor, they address the nuances and risks of generally accepted advice and recommend concrete strategies and clear action plans to help women succeed."-Amy Schulman,Group President, Global Vaccines, Oncology and Consumer Business, "Having sifted through many of the debates about how much women can and should succeed, Williams and Dempsey finally offer a template on how women can do that and how the workforce can support this integration; whether these women are homemakers or management, this book is a confidence booster. A much needed look at what women might want, but what society needs."-Amy Richards,author of Opting In, and co-author of Manifesta, "Forty years later, gender bias shouldn't exist in the workplace, but it does, in large part because many of us don't recognize its most common forms. That's a pitfall-and for me, at least, a pratfall. Reading What Works for Women at Work would be a good first step in avoiding both."-Theodore Kinni, Strategy and Business, "Deftly combining sociological research with a more casual narrative style, What Works for Women at Work offers unabashedly straightforward advice in a how-to primer for ambitious women....The authors plow nimbly through decades of research, transforming what could have been dry and impenetrable statistics into attention-grabbing revelations."-Debora L. Spar, The New York Times Book Review, Joan Williams and Rachel Dempsey clearly and vividly detail the double standards and the dead ends that so many women face in the workplace. Fortunately, the authors also provide easy-to-follow strategies to counter these scenarios. This book can help women claim their seat at the table and lean in to their careers., "The book offers an accessible and sound model of problems faced by women climbing the corporate ladder, and presents clear strategies to take while waiting for business to catch up."- Publishers Weekly, "This book is filled with street-smart advice and plain old savvy about the way life works in corporate America as the authors provide an insightful guide for women who want to break through the glass ceiling."-Booklist, "The book offers women advice for asking for promotions or pay raises, while acknowledging that women who ask for these things can be considered masculine in ways that might undermine their success. I particularly appreciated reading about the toxic competition between women at work that can also hinder the success of women collectively."-Joshunda Sanders, Salon.com, "If you're a working woman searching for the best pocket guide to success at work, here it is. Prove-It-Again, the Tightrope, The Maternal Wall, the Tug of War, Double Jeopardy-the distinguished scholar Joan Williams and her daughter guide women through each of these sticky wickets. Their invaluable advice is no substitute for broader changes in the workplace, they note, but it can help position more women to accomplish that change."-Arlie Hochschild,author of The Outsourced Self, "This title is many steps beyond Lean In (2013), Sheryl Sandberg's prescription for getting ahead in business. What Works for Women at Work is filled with street-smart advice and plain old savvy about the way life works in corporate America."- STARRED Booklist, Williams and Dempsey provide the essential bridge between research findings on prejudice and discrimination and the problems that women experience at work. Solutions exist, and these authors present them. What Works for Women at Work is a must-read book for everyone committed to creating gender-fair workplaces., "If you're aworking woman searching for the bestpocket guide to success at work, here itis. Prove-It-Again, the Tightrope, The Maternal Wall, the Tug of War, Double Jeopardy--the distinguished scholarJoan Williams and her daughter guide women through each of these sticky wickets. Their invaluable advice is no substitute for broaderchanges in the workplace, they note, but it can help position more women to accomplish that change."-Arlie Hochschild,author of The Outsourced Self, "This book is a must-read for any woman who is feeling frustrated or thwarted in her attempts to advance at work. Williams and Dempsey balance deeply personal accounts with practical guidance. With candor and humor, they address the nuances and risks of generally accepted advice and recommend concrete strategies and clear action plans to help women succeed." -Amy Schulman,General Counsel, Pfizer Inc., Written by a mother-daughter duo, this decidedly unwonky examination of gender bias doubles as a playbook on how to transcend and triumph., "In their compelling new book, Williams (Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings College of Law) and Dempsey (a student at Yale Law School who blogs for Huffington Post on women's issues) spell out the two sets of rules, higher standards and closed doors that many women encounter on the job these days."-Kerry Hannon, Forbes, "Joan Williams and Rachel Dempsey clearly and vividly detail the double standards and the dead ends that so many women face in the workplace. Fortunately, the authors also provide easy-to-follow strategies to counter these scenarios. This book can help women claim their seat at the table and lean in to their careers." -Sheryl Sandberg, author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead "If you're a working woman searching for the best pocket guide to success at work, here it is. Prove-It-Again, the Tightrope, The Maternal Wall, the Tug of War, Double Jeopardy--the distinguished scholar Joan Williams and her daughter guide women through each of these sticky wickets. Their invaluable advice is no substitute for broader changes in the workplace, they note, but it can help position more women to accomplish that change."-Arlie Hochschild, author of The Outsourced Self and So How's the Family? and other essays "Williams and Dempsey provide the essential bridge between research findings on prejudice and discrimination and the problems that women experience at work. Solutions exist, and these authors present them. What Works for Women at Work is a must-read book for everyone committed to creating gender-fair workplaces."-Alice H. Eagly, author of Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders, "Having sifted through many of the debates about how much women can and should succeed, Williams and Dempsey finally offer a template on how women can do that and how the workforce can support this integration; whether these women are homemakers or management, this book is a confidence booster. A much needed look at what women might want, but what society needs."-Amy Richards,author of Opting In, "The insights from cognitive psychology and social psychology, and the tips gleaned from experience, that this book brings to bear on experiences of gender in the workplace are worth learning."- Feminist Economics, The book's plentiful examples and suggestions provide smart strategies for federal workers to find work/life balance without calling their commitment to career into question., "Much of its advice is solid career counsel for anyone looking to move up...ultimately the tone of this book is quite hopeful...[T]his book's message: If we make ourselves and the men in our lives aware of the roadblocks women still face, and we use some of the many tools the authors offer in this volume, we are likely to see women move ahead more quickly. In fact I wish there were a way to interest men in reading this book. They would get the most out of it."-Susan Adams, Forbes.com, The insights from cognitive psychology and social psychology, and the tips gleaned from experience, that this book brings to bear on experiences of gender in the workplace are worth learning., "Joan Williams and Rachel Dempsey clearly and vividly detail the double standards and the dead ends that so many women face in the workplace. Fortunately, the authors also provide easy-to-follow strategies to counter these scenarios. This book can help women claim their seat at the table and lean in to their careers." -Sheryl Sandberg,author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, "I would love to see a world where men, as well as women, mix the masculine and the feminine. In fact, much of contemporary leadership advice recommends a collaborative style for everyone. But what we have is a world where men get a pass when they do things-such as exercise authority, express anger, self-promote-that often triggers pushback when women do them. This double standard reinforces the idea that women should be selfless and noncompetitive, self-effacing and nice; should always think of others; and should never, ever interrupt."-Joan C. Williams , Washington Post, "Much of its advice is solid career counsel for anyone look to move up...ultimately the tone of this book is quite hopeful...[T]this book's message: If we make ourselves and the men in our lives aware of the roadblocks women still face, and we use some of the many tools the authors offer in this volume, we are likely to see women move ahead more quickly. In fact I wish there were a way to interest men in reading this book. They would get the most out of it."- Forbes.com,, The book offers an accessible and sound model of problems faced by women climbing the corporate ladder, and presents clear strategies to take while waiting for business to catch up., "Deftly combining sociological research with a more casual narrative style, What Works for Women at Work offers unabashedly straightforward advice in a how-to primer for ambitious women....The authors plow nimbly through decades of research, transforming what could have been dry and impenetrable statistics into attention-grabbing revelations." -Debora L. Spar, The New York Times, "If you're aworking woman searching for the bestpocket guide to success at work, here itis. Prove-It-Again, the Tightrope, The Maternal Wall, the Tug of War, Double Jeopardy-the distinguished scholarJoan Williams and her daughter guide women through each of these sticky wickets. Their invaluable advice is no substitute for broaderchanges in the workplace, they note, but it can help position more women to accomplish that change."-Arlie Hochschild,author of The Outsourced Self, "It's great to have a smart compilation of helpful suggestions put together not by two self-help gurus but by two women who understand that all their advice might still not be enough. Besides, make no mistake: the guidance they offer is often quite good, and I suspect few women will not find either a strategy they've successfully used in the past or one they can utilize in the future within its pages. […] It pretty much sums up what happens to all too many women today."- Women's Review of Books, This title is many steps beyondLean In(2013), Sheryl Sandbergs prescription for getting ahead in business.What Works for Women at Workis filled with street-smart advice and plain old savvy about the way life works in corporate America., Its great to have a smart compilation of helpful suggestions put together not by two self-help gurus but by two women who understand that all their advice might still not be enough. Besides, make no mistake: the guidance they offer is often quite good, and I suspect few women will not find either a strategy theyve successfully used in the past or one they can utilize in the future within its pages. [] It pretty much sums up what happens to all too many women today., The book offers women advice for asking for promotions or pay raises, while acknowledging that women who ask for these things can be considered masculine in ways that might undermine their success. I particularly appreciated reading about the toxic competition between women at work that can also hinder the success of women collectively., "The book's plentiful examples and suggestions provide smart strategies for federal workers to find work/life balance without calling their commitment to career into question."-Katherine Reynolds Lewis, The Business of Federal Technology, "[The book] identifies four overall patterns of gender bias that high-achieving career women face."-Jazelle Hunt, Black Voice News, "Havingsifted through many of the debates about how much women can and should succeed,Williams and Dempsey finally offer a template on how women can do that and howthe workforce can support this integration; whether these women are homemakersor management, this book is a confidence booster. A much needed look at whatwomen might want, but what society needs."-Amy Richards,author of Opting In, "If you're a working woman searching for the best pocket guide to success at work,here it is. Prove-It-Again, the Tightrope, The Maternal Wall, the Tug of War, Double Jeopardy-the distinguished scholar Joan Williams and her daughter guide women through each of these sticky wickets. Their invaluable advice is no substitute for broader changes in the workplace, they note, but it can help position more women to accomplish that change."-Arlie Hochschild,author of The Outsourced Self and So How's the Family? and other essays, "Williams and Dempsey provide the essential bridge between research findings on prejudice and discrimination and the problems that women experience at work. Solutions exist, and these authors present them. What Works for Women at Work is a must-read book for everyone committed to creating gender-fair workplaces."-Alice H. Eagly,author of Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders, "Written by a mother-daughter duo, this decidedly unwonky examination of gender bias doubles as a playbook on how to transcend and triumph."-Abbe Wright, O, The Oprah Magazine, Having sifted through many of the debates about how much women can and should succeed, Williams and Dempsey finally offer a template on how women can do that and how the workforce can support this integration; whether these women are homemakers or management, this book is a confidence booster. A much needed look at what women might want, but what society needs., Deftly combining sociological research with a more casual narrative style, What Works for Women at Workoffers unabashedly straightforward advice in a how-to primer for ambitious women....The authors plow nimbly through decades of research, transforming what could have been dry and impenetrable statistics into attention-grabbing revelations., "Based on interviews with dozens of successful women in professional fields and academia, the book is full of anecdotes and highly readable. But what sets it apart from the crowded field of advice literature is its solid grounding in research - hundreds of studies showing how bias affects the decisions and behavior of even those who think they are the most fair-minded....What Works for Women at Work is an eye-opening, thought-provoking, and above all practical handbook for every woman who works. It should be required reading for every manager - male or female."-Hilary Appelman , Yale Alumni Magazine
