Business Books for Women
I feel like at some point there will be a book that introduces women to the business world without 1) telling them “This book will allow you to be feminine and own a business!” or 2) “This book will allow you to be feminine and run a good business!”
I feel like women my age (and younger) are definitely not concerned about how their femininity will be effected by their business ambition. Perhaps we are concerned about the possibility/probability of juggling other life ambitions (family/friends/children/home) — (and never, ever forget: dealing with other women in the business world… ugh! This needs to be addressed by a full line of books, probably shelved in the self-help section.)
Most of my friends grew up with both parents working. They are different than the generation before them, both men and women expect to be working their entire lives these days… so why are we still fumbling around with business books that are only in the position to give us advice on keeping (or regaining) our femininity?
Business books for women have always been a square peg to the round hole – it’s always been about what problems are women having in the work place, how do we react and interact with those problems? (Because, I suppose, business books have replaced mentorships – so, think of browsing your business book aisle as stepping into the doorway of your favorite mentor. Hopefully your author/mentor isn’t berserk) (smile). And the question they are always addressing is how we can get ahead without seeming like men. Is this really a problem?
I think the idea is right, but I think we are addressing the wrong issues. Our problems were and are: getting older men to take us seriously without treating us like daughters. Getting younger men to take us seriously without taking us to bed. Being able to dress in a way that allows us to express our individuality and sexuality without “disrupting the men folk.” And perhaps more or less… be able to follow our lives and ambitious (especially when it becomes a choice between work or family) towards work, without having to explain why and how to our mothers, husbands, and oh-so-pregnant best friends.
The very things that men take for granted are the things that women need to know about – and somehow we’ve stifled the very questions (to hard to ask, to hard to answer) and instead came up with, “Keep your femininity!”
This is nothing more than a marketing issue, if that’s the case. That nothing personal matters (truly) in the business world and instead it is only how you project yourself: it’s branding.
Then its two books, really:
How to brand yourself
And
How to organize your life around your career goals
Well, Ok, That makes more sense to me already… my mother used to say that men didn’t know what they want, so it was a woman’s job to make them think they knew. And, if she does it right, they’ll be thinking exactly what she wants him to think.
Manipulation? Yes… but why are there no business books there that allow women to take advantage of the ingrained (practically) from birth skills? Look, use the same skills that you use to manipulate your boyfriend into taking you to see that chick flick on your boss or coworkers at the office, here is how.
What would men say? What would the publisher say?
What would the women say? (gasps all around, because that idea is neither friendly nor feminine, it’s sneaky and bold, and a good woman would never do such a thing… well, to your husband is different).
Then again, I’ve only read four or five titles recently on women in business… I’m sure (hoping that) I’m missing one or two that I definitely should read… Please send me a list or leave me a comment with your favorite titles. I’ll do my best to read them all.
- NMC
Hey Richard,
I was wondering how old you are.
You gave some good advice on branding yourself while in the work place. Especially, in a male dominated field, like technology. There is a bit of a Catch 22 on being an attrative woman in the workforce. That is why, I think, that there is discussion for women to understand that they do not have to lose their femininity. Just don’t look desirable or wear clothes that fit. I think the best outfit for work is probably a birka. Feminine, but not distraking.
From your perspective, how could a woman brand herself? To help people with the trial and error phase…
Life is short. Wear pretty underwear.
I believe the books on women in the business world have focused more on women dealing with the corporate world that was designed and controlled by men for so long. Thus, the many conflicts that arise.
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