I have a new hero, and her name is Tiffany Dufu. She has the solution to women being our own barriers, and it’s so obvious and so simple: we need to drop the ball.
Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less is a book every parent needs to read.
Tiffany nails it: we need to stop freaking out about unfolded laundry to focus on our highest and best use of time. We demand an all-in partner and we drop the ball on things that don’t matter.
Most non-fiction self-help books tend to be repetitive and boring, and I usually think about 30% of the way through that the entire book should have just been condensed to an article.
Not Drop the Ball. Her stories mixed with research and her points are articulate, easy to read, and engaging to read. I looked forward to reading it each night, and when my kindle indicated I had reached almost 80%, I was looking forward to the rest of the book… until I reached the end, and realized that the remaining 20% was all the footnotes! Not surprising, since the books has so much research behind it and so many references.
I am lucky – I never once have had the perfectionist handicap, nor have I ever felt it was my sole responsibility to take care of every task at home. My husband and I have a true partnership. At times, he does more than me. At times I do more than him. If all women have what I have – an all-in partner, a mentor mother, an unbelievable support system (my in-laws pick up my kids from school everyday and take care of them!), financial resources, and a flexible work schedule, any woman with the motivation and talent would be in a leadership position.
Tiffany points out that most women during the time they are building their careers are also having children – and that’s when the career trajectory can come to a screeching halt without a support system.
Women feel all of the domestic and childcare responsibilities fall on them. And for women to really thrive, they need to lower their own expectations for themselves, and enlist help.
She also points out that women and men have a different perspective in leadership roles – which is why that diversity of thought in companies is so profitable. Companies perform better with a diverse leadership team. The flip side of this : at home, diverse approaches make a household run more efficiently. I don’t think we can disagree that women should be able to run companies. Just like a man can run a company, a man can also run a household.
Women just need to let men take control.
And when the domestic stresses are alleviated, we can excel in all other areas.
Read Drop the Ball I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Looking for more book suggestions? check out my spring break reading list and more books to read posts
Leave a comment