Description
Book SynopsisVery few women make it to the top of their profession and among those that do, almost half have no children or other caregiving responsibilities. The message for working women everywhere has been clear-to make it to the top you have to pick one-your family or your career.
Trade Review"The book provides a nice balance of first-person accounts and summaries of up-to-date scholarly research
from a variety of disciplines. It is written in an accessible style, conveying scientific findings in a engaging and easy to understand format that should appeal to a wide audience interested in women's leadership, including women leaders and aspiring women leaders, and policy makers committed to advancing women's career opportunities." (Zentralblatt Math, 19 February 2010)
"Psychologists Diane Halpern and Fanny Cheung focus on one particular obstacle to women’s advancement: the difficulty for women of combining a career with family. The book’s unique contribution lies with the stories of the women leaders and their varied strategies for combining career and family. Readers will likely feel inspired by the womens' successes ... . A number of the book’s recommendations ... have received strong empirical support ... . The book provides a nice balance of first-person accounts and summaries of up-to-date scholarly research from a variety of disciplines. It is written in an accessible style, conveying scientific findings in a engaging and easy to understand format that should appeal to a wide audience ... . Because the book is highly interdisciplinary, it could also be used as a supplemental text in graduate and undergraduate courses in management and organizational behavior, psychology and sociology of work or gender, and family studies. I can imagine that it would generate much discussion among students who believe that career-oriented women no longer have obstacles to overcome and that combining career and family is easy." (Sex Roles, February 2010)
“Halpern and Cheung conduct a cross-cultural analysis of the work-life dichotomy in order to illuminate social and cultural expectations for women, to compare policy and personal solutions, and ultimately to propose a strategic plan for navigating work-life demands.” (Journal of International Women's Studies, May 2009)
"There is much here for women looking to energise their professional and home life, renew their perspectives and optimise their competencies as leaders and managers." (Psychologist, April 2009)
Table of ContentsPreface vi
Chapter 1 For Women at the Top: How’s the Weather up There? 1
Chapter 2 Learning from Mothers, Mentors, and Others 21
Chapter 3 Saving and Spending Time 47
Chapter 4 Happy Homemaker, Happy Marriage: The Female Executive Edition 73
Chapter 5 Cherished Children: Tales of Guilt and Pride 106
Chapter 6 Work–Family Spillover: From Conflict to Harmony 131
Chapter 7 Culture Counts: Leading as the World Changes 154
Chapter 8 Leading as Women: Styles, Obstacles, and Perceptions 183
Chapter 9 How to Lead a Dually Successful Life 208
References 231
Appendix: Biography of the Women Leaders 246
Index 278
