Don’t Fail Your Daughters | LinkedIn

October 16, 2013

 

Don't Fail Your Daughters | LinkedIn 1

Don’t Fail Your Daughters | LinkedIn.

 

This knocked my socks off:

……………………………

I have two young daughters, Hannah and Maura.

Since they were born, my wife and I have written them notes to read later in life. It’s our way of passing on advice and sharing our thoughts on some of the moments that can pass by all too quickly when you’re raising children. We keep a notepad in our bedroom, and when one of us has something to say, we write it down and drop it in a big glass jar.

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg during her visit to Target’s headquarters. We discussed some of the topics from her book,Lean In. At Target, a quarter of our board — and 42 percent of our executives — are women, but the kind of equality we have at Target isn’t the norm. In fact, as Sheryl put it, it’s “unheard of.”

I went home feeling inspired. Knowing that Time recently teamed up with Sheryl’s nonprofit to ask fathers to write open letters to their daughters, I grabbed my notebook and got to work on the following note to my girls.

I plan to hold this particular letter back until they graduate from college (of course, I’m sure they’ll find it online much sooner). In the meantime, I thought I’d share it here given the importance of this conversation in today’s workplace.

***

Dear Hannah and Maura,

You’re about to begin what I know will be a rich and satisfying professional life. But before you do, I want to tell you about the time I met an amazing woman named Sheryl Sandberg. I interviewed her on stage at Target headquarters in 2013, and she made me think of the two of you. I even talked about you in front of a huge audience, but that’s nothing new.

Sheryl is one of the world’s most accomplished women. As I write this, she helps lead Facebook and ranks sixth on Forbes’ “World’s Most Powerful Women” list. Earlier in her career, she was a vice president at Google and served as the chief of staff to the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury under President Bill Clinton.

She came to my office to talk to Target team members about some of the misconceptions that hold women back in the business world. I have always been surrounded by female leaders, so I sometimes forget how rare it is for women to hold leadership positions. Right now, there are only 16 female heads of state, and women head up only 4 percent of Fortune 500 companies.

Sheryl has spent years researching women in the workplace, and she’s found in today’s culture, women often feel as if being ambitious is, in a way, un-ladylike. In the corporate world, women sometimes doubt their abilities and think of themselves as unworthy of promotion or recognition. She’s found many women are preoccupied with acting grateful for what they have – and never act entitled, even if they deserve it. Too many women avoid speaking up and going after their dreams.

By the time you read this, I hope this seems strange. I hope you’re used to fair treatment and always having a seat at the table. Nevertheless, these are attitudes that you may confront in your career. If you do, I hope you consider a few of the lessons that Sheryl shared with me.

First, trust your own passions and tastes. Don’t let people tell you who you are or what you’re best suited for — especially when their opinions are based on old-fashioned gender stereotypes. If there’s a job you want or a subject you’d like to study or a career you’d like to pursue, go after it. And don’t apologize.

Second, don’t be afraid to fail. As Sheryl explained to me, women are more likely to play it safe in their careers, even if it means giving up on something they truly want or deserve. Promise me that, when you see an opportunity that excites you — whether it’s a new job, a philanthropic endeavor, a business venture, or something else entirely — you’ll dive in before you have a chance to talk yourself out of it. I can tell you from experience that failure is never as bad as you think it will be. In fact, it’s an important part of any successful life.

Finally, don’t accept the traditional “masculine” idea of what it means to be a good manager, or employee, or entrepreneur, or whatever you choose to do. Just because the business world is male-dominated doesn’t mean that you need to act like a man in order to thrive. Know your strengths — you both have many — and figure out how to use them to achieve your goals.

I’m not asking either of you to run for president or become a Fortune 500 CEO — although you’re both more than capable of doing either. I’m only asking that you pursue your goals without regard for foolish ideas about how women “ought to act.”

Every day I’m amazed at how capable, motivated, and smart you both are. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish.

Love,

Dad

…………………………

Here’s hoping that the concept seems strange to our daughters!

 

Categories

More Posts:

How to Get Your Law Career Started After Passing the Bar

Congratulations on passing the bar exam! Becoming an attorney is a significant milestone in your professional career so you should be proud of your hard work and dedication. Now that you’ve passed, it’s time to start building your law career. As with any job, certain...

Warning Signs You Need to Leave Your Job

As we progress through our careers, it can be difficult to determine when the right time is to move on from your job. Not only do our jobs often provide us with a livelihood, but making such a decision also involves much contemplation. To assist you in deciding if now...

Challenges That Come When Your Employees Are Spread Out

When employees are spread out across different locations, it can be a challenge to manage the business effectively. Working remotely has its benefits, but also creates some challenges traditional offices didn't really face. From creating and maintaining a cohesive...

How to Give Your Career New Life

Are you finding yourself stagnant in your current job situation? Do you feel an urge to progress, but unsure of how to make it happen? If so, then look no further; this article will provide the strategies and actionable measures needed for a successful career...

The Power of Women-Owned Small Businesses

     Women-owned small businesses are on the rise, and their impact is undeniable. In fact, in 2019 alone, women-owned nearly 12 million businesses that employed nearly 9 million people and generated over $1.9 trillion in revenue. From retail to technology to finance,...

Nyago Michael Emmanuel

We invite many people who can invest in our Akiba Ya umoja community benefit savings and investment group of Uganda to enable us expand our operations in Uganda

Careers That Let You Make a Social Impact

Are you often frustrated by the state of society and angered by social injustices? If you wish you could have a bigger influence on society, consider switching to a career with more social outreach and influence. Here are a few careers that help you to make a lasting...

How to Help Employees Get to Know Each Other Better

When your employees know each other better, there is more camaraderie in your workplace. Because they are more familiar with each other and more invested in each other’s lives, the quality of work—particularly group work—improves.  To be a more effective company, you...

How to Feel More Confident When Restarting Your Career

Are you considering restarting your career? If so, you're not alone. Many people feel the need to start over at some point in their lives. The good news is that there are things you can do to make the process easier and more enjoyable. Here are a few tips for feeling...

Women’s Fitness Tips: How to Make Time for Exercise in Your Super-Busy Schedule

We’ve all gone down the social media rabbit hole during a lazy Sunday afternoon. Among the sea of influencers, we’ve also probably seen one that seems to have everything – the dream job, the perfect home, and, above all, time to fit a workout into her super-busy...
Warning Signs You Need to Leave Your Job

Warning Signs You Need to Leave Your Job

As we progress through our careers, it can be difficult to determine when the right time is to move on from your job. Not only do our jobs often provide us with a livelihood, but making such a decision also involves much contemplation. To assist you in deciding if now...

How to Give Your Career New Life

How to Give Your Career New Life

Are you finding yourself stagnant in your current job situation? Do you feel an urge to progress, but unsure of how to make it happen? If so, then look no further; this article will provide the strategies and actionable measures needed for a successful career...

Nyago Michael Emmanuel

Nyago Michael Emmanuel

We invite many people who can invest in our Akiba Ya umoja community benefit savings and investment group of Uganda to enable us expand our operations in Uganda

Careers That Let You Make a Social Impact

Careers That Let You Make a Social Impact

Are you often frustrated by the state of society and angered by social injustices? If you wish you could have a bigger influence on society, consider switching to a career with more social outreach and influence. Here are a few careers that help you to make a lasting...

How to Help Employees Get to Know Each Other Better

How to Help Employees Get to Know Each Other Better

When your employees know each other better, there is more camaraderie in your workplace. Because they are more familiar with each other and more invested in each other’s lives, the quality of work—particularly group work—improves.  To be a more effective company, you...

All Categories

Business Operations

Entrepreneur Interviews

Marketing, Networking, & Social Media

Self Care & Personal Development

Working Moms

Business Software and Technology

Entrepreneurship & Small Business

Organizing Tips

Sales

Career Building

Family Businesses

Inspiration

Starting Your Own Business

Work-Life Balance

Communication

Hiring Help

Management & Leadership

Time Management & Priorities

Women in Leadership

Recent Posts

Elements That Should Be Part of Your Company Retreat

Elements That Should Be Part of Your Company Retreat

A company retreat is an excellent opportunity for team-building, learning new skills, and fostering relationships between colleagues. Whether your team is large or small, a well-planned retreat can be an invaluable investment in your company's success. We will explore...

How to Make Employee Health a Priority

How to Make Employee Health a Priority

Prioritizing employee health is crucial for creating a healthy and productive work environment. By investing in the health and wellbeing of your employees, you can improve morale, reduce absenteeism, and build a positive company culture. Here are some tips on how to...

Why You Should Run Your Business on the Latest Technology

Why You Should Run Your Business on the Latest Technology

In today's fast-paced business environment, keeping up with technological advancements is essential for success. Implementing the latest technology can offer numerous benefits, such as improved productivity, enhanced data security, and reduced costs.  Improve...

What are local links and how to earn them

What are local links and how to earn them

What local links are and how they might assist local businesses develop an efficient SEO strategy are covered in this article. Local links allow visitors to learn more about a region and its businesses by connecting websites from the same area that are relevant to one another. They must be pertinent to the neighbourhood and offer valuable resources or information. Content marketing, reviews, sponsored content, social media, and directories are all ways to generate local links.

Ways for Increasing Property Management Lead Generation

Ways for Increasing Property Management Lead Generation

Property management is not a simple job, there are multiple tasks that a property manager should complete for various property investors. Marketing is one of the difficult parts, but it’s crucial. You can only attract tenants to your property and gain income after you have generated leads. Therefore, you should try your best to come up with smart and effective strategies to get your company known.