Episode 37: Leaning In (re-release)

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March 24, 2014

It's almost an anniversary edition: this time last year I met with five other women in a West Village apartment. Over Middle Eastern food and a couple of bottles of wine, we debated the newly released Sheryl Sandberg book Lean In. The show was released in mid-April, 2013, and remains one of my favorites.

Back row, l to r: Yvahn Martin, Dora Chomiak, Stacy-Marie Ishmael. Front row: l to r: me, Gia Freirech, Rebecca Jackson (a bit shiny after our wine)We talk about the merits of Sandberg's book, discussing, among other things, her attitude to getting ahead and her vision of success, how quiet she is about how she raises her own children, whether it's really OK to cry at work, and how men are also - or should be - part of this conversation. You can read more about my guests at the original post for this episode.

26 minutes. 

Episode 36: Emotions at the office

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March 10, 2014

"The business world...men created it, and therefore its foundation is masculine norms. And masculine norms are, 'it's not OK to show those soft emotions.'" - Caroline Turner

"I found...that people viewed the expression of emotion at work as a humanizing force…as something that showed empathy and compassion." - Anne Kreamer

A typical soulless office? (Photo used with Creative Commons License)How acceptable is it to show our emotions at work? If you've been around a while, you may be thinking 'not very'. And with good reason. When you read interviews with successful women, they often warn other women not to cry at the office. Academic research shows women who show anger in the workplace are judged harshly, while angry men are not. In this show we look at the perception problem women face when they get upset or irate at work - and at what can happen when other people think you're upset. We learn a little about the science of tears (not all tear ducts are created equal), and hear a couple of stories of workplace meltdowns. Some of my guests are confident that both genders can 'be authentic' or 'be ourselves' at work, if not now, then soon. I'm a bit more cynical. If you have thoughts on this, please comment below - I'd love to hear from you.

 

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