Weekend Reading: The (Mostly) HBR Edition

I can't remember when I added the Harvard Business Review feed to my feed reader, or why I did it. I skip roughly 2/3 of the stories in the feed. But there are enough really interesting stories that come along from time to time that I leave it in my feed reader. This week, I have links to some of the interesting stories I've gathered up over the last few months, plus a few other things I came across this week that are too good not to share.

This week, HBR had a post summarizing some data that indicates there is still discrimination against women when it comes to being promoted into senior management. Not surprising, but... ouch.

Speaking of women in leadership, I really liked this post about the voluminous and often contradictory advice given to women who want to get into leadership positions, and how it seems to aim to turn them all into "Stepford Leaders".

My favorite HBR posts aren't all about women in leadership, though. I also really liked this post arguing that we should idolize Bill Gates, not Steve Jobs.

I also rather liked this post about workplace myths that hold us back- and I doubt anyone will be surprised when I say that myth #4 really resonated with me.


Elsewhere on the web... Laura Vanderkam had a great post this week about whether any activity really is "all-consuming".  I love her point that allowing something to become all-consuming requires an enabling helper. After all, if you can be "all-consumed" by your work, there must be someone else around to make sure you get dinner,  or you'd starve. I like this quote:

"since I’ve never had a life where writing a book could be all-consuming, it never has been. "

and this one:

"To me, the idea of work-life balance means this recognition: that nothing is truly all-consuming. There is space in a full life for multiple identities — to be an entrepreneur and mother, to be a devoted volunteer and father, to be a loving family member and athlete and artist, or whatever you choose."

@Fishscientist retweeted a link to this short post about how Sheryl Sandberg leaves work at 5:30... and no longer feels bad about it. See! It is not just me.

I can't remember where I first came across this post about subtle sexism in the tech industry, and being told to "lighten up" but I then saw it linked several other places. Regardless, go read it, it is good. You might want to skip the comments, though. There are some good ones. And a lot of guys telling her to, you guessed it, lighten up.