Breaking Through "Bitch": How Women Can Shatter Stereotypes and Lead Fearlessly

Description

When a man strongly asserts his point of view and autonomy, he is hailed as a strong, competent leader. When a woman exhibits the same executive qualities, she is labeled a brusque, overbearing bitch. This is not really news anymore, is it? Yet these unfair perceptions are a key reason why only five percent of Fortune 500 company CEOs are women. How can women leaders break through that brick wall of "bitch"? How can they manage gender expectations and still successfully climb the corporate ladder? BREAKING THROUGH "BITCH" takes an innovative, sometimes controversial approach, using stories from executives at the highest corporate levels to show how women can hone their innate skills, rise to the top, and be effective, outstanding leaders. It addresses head-on why women cannot and should not "act like men." BREAKING THROUGH "BITCH": * Describes the unique profile of behaviours that top women leaders have in common. * Reveals why such stereotypically feminine characteristics as nurturing, empathy and inclusiveness are the keys to power, not signs of weakness. * Shows how these characteristics can be equally effective for men in our fast-changing world. BREAKING THROUGH "BITCH" empowers women to be their best selves, overcome stereotypes and lead!

Carol Vallone Mitchell cofounded Talent Strategy Partners, a talent management consulting firm, in 2001. She has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies to identify and develop leaders who can build and nurture the right workplace culture and drive results.

Breaking Through 'Bitch' sets forth nine distinct ways that successful executive women make their way out from behind that brick wall. The dozens of examples in Breaking Through Bitch shed some much-needed light on exactly how. --Anne Fisher, Fortune Magazine-- "Reviews" It is a must read for all women thinking about 'leaning in and moving up!' Men can benefit from the great insights as well. I am recommending this book to all women leaders in academic medicine! --Diana Farmer, MD, Professor and Chair Department of Surgery, UC Davis School of Medicine-- "Reviews" Mitchell describes the high wire perils faced by woman who, on one hand, must display the traits of a stoic and sturdy leader and who, on the other hand, must conform to gender specific stereotypes of femininity in order to avoid behind-the-back encounters with the infamous B-word. Breaking Through 'Bitch' skillfully tells about the women who have mastered this delicate balance without comprising their identities. --Michael O'Malley, PhD, author of Leading with Kindness and The Wisdom of Bees-- "Reviews"