Kate White on Why Women Shouldnt Be Scared to Reach for Power - The Muse

Kate White on Why Women Shouldnt Be Scared to Reach for Power - The MuseKate White on Why Women Shouldnt Be Scared to Reach for Power When I welches 31 years old and working as a senior editor for a national Sunday newspaper supplement, the editor-in-chief, Art Cooper, took me aside one day and said he wanted to begin grooming me to eventually become an editor-in-chief myself.Though I welches incredibly appreciative of Arts mentoring, deep down the thought of becoming top dog one day held little appeal. Leadership, and all the responsibility it entailed, scared the hell out of me. But I also imagined that any kind of leadership position would interfere with other goals I had in life, like traveling to far-flung places. Power seemed to promise nothing but constraint.Last week, like a muscle memory, those early feelings I had about professional power resurfaced when I saw the results of research conducted by a team of women at Harvard. Having surveyed a diverse sample of more than 4,00 0 people, they found that while women and men believe they are equally able to attain high-level leadership positions, men want that power more than women do. Women, they found, perceive professional power as less desirable than men do. The researchers- Francesca Gino, a recently tenured professor in the Negotiations, Organizations and Markets unit at Harvard Business School, Alison Wood Brooks, an assistant professor of in the NOM unit, and Caroline Wilmuth, who is pursuing a doctorate in organizational behavior at Harvard- offered a possible explanation Women have more goals and want to pursue them. I relate to the women in the survey who find professional power off-putting because I once felt the same way. Once. Because I ended up changing my mind on the subject- or rather I was fortunate enough to have my mind changed for me. It happened soon after Art set up his editor-in-chief boot camp. The top job at GQ opened up and Art went after with all the alpha male gusto he could must er (and ended up creating a brilliant magazine brand). Meanwhile, management informed me that I would now be running the Sunday supplement while a search was conducted for a replacement. And I would also be a candidate for the job.The news made me cringe. I didnt want to run the show. Plus, it meant that I would have to cancel a glorious trip to the Artic that Id managed to finagle for myself (tough to run a weekly magazine while sailing on an ice freighter along the coast of Greenland). Well, a funny thing happened as I resisted this new professional power- I discovered I absolutely loved it. Running the show, signing off on all the content myself, having the buck stop with me- Id never been happier at work.Power, as it turned out, looked and felt a lot different from the inside out than it did from outside in. It was exhilarating, rewarding, fun, and, rather than restricting, wonderfully freeing. I called the shots. Heres what Id say to any woman who finds the thought of professio nal power less than appealing. Just try it. Yes, from where youre standing now it may seem terrifying or just plain unappealing or even limiting, but once you get it taste of it, theres a more than good chance youll see how sweet it is. And if it doesnt suit you or you feel it undermines your other goals, you can always walk away. Sure, its true that overall women are presented with fewer opportunities in the workplace than men are, as this study points out, but many women simply resist opportunity because theyre intimidated by the idea of moving up past middle management. My initial taste of professional power lasted only three months. They brought in a new editor and I left about six months later, now determined that one day Id be the leader again. The next time it didnt land in my lap. I had to go after it. Making a grab for power (leaning in and then some) is the parte where women often hesitate. Even if we find power attractive, were afraid we dont have all thats required. We n eed to take a page from men, who know you dont have to have all the qualifications in order to raise your hand. As an executive coach friend of mine says, Its not a matter of whether you can do it, its whether you can learn it. Yes, some of big job opportunities open up when your life is at its craziest- when youve just had a second child, for example. But heres a little secret about being the anfhrer. Now you get to do things your way. And the more women step up and grab a little power, the more matters will improve for women in the workplace in terms of issues like flexibility.Seventeen years ago, when I was the editor-in-chief of Redbook, my boss called me into her office one Sunday and offered me the position of editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan. Though the idea of running Cosmo thrilled me, I had some real concerns. I hadnt really looked at the magazine in years, and I seemed like a bad fit for a magazine geared to Gen X, and soon Gen Y. Plus, my kids were only five and eight yea rs old and I worried that the job would really infringe on my time with them. Id heard plenty of rumors about the insane hours people worked at the magazine under the outgoing editor and about the surprise meetings that were often held at night. But I reminded myself of what I already knew, that as I leader I could learn what I needed and fix things my way. On day one I hired an expert on Gen X and Gen Y to totally school me on the subject, and I poured over every single email that had come in from a readers during the past two years. I suddenly had a grasp of who the reader was and what she yearned for.As for those crazy hours, they turned out, after inspection, to be simply the result of bad time management. It didnt have to be done that way. Sanity could rule.Okay, admittedly I was lucky. I worked for a terrific company with terrific bosses who let me do my thing. But those good companies are out there. Or, start your own.Professional power does involve tradeoffs and sacrifices. But the thrill that comes from ownership and autonomy, of creating something according to your own vision, offers fabulous rewards that can make the trade worthwhile. And the financial benefits of power are hard to knock. I never got another crack at the Arctic Circle, but a trip to Antarctica compensated nicely.So just try it. Instead of keeping your hand in your lap, raise it and discover the pure, glorious thrill and endless rewards of being in charge.Photo of woman in city courtesy of Shutterstock.

What does Ubers new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi have that Travis Kalanick didnt

What does Ubers new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi have that Travis Kalanick didntWhat does Ubers new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi have that Travis Kalanick didntUber has gone through a lot in recent months, culminating in the resignation of its founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick in June. Now comes the companys biggest change since former engineer Susan Fowler blasted the company for its alleged sexist culture in a blog post back in February.Expedia CEODara Khosrowshahireportedly told The Wall Street Journal from Expedias Washington headquarters today that although the contract has not yet been completed, hes all in for the position as the new Uber CEO. This is his first public commentary on the matter.He did not tell the publication what role former Uber head Travis Kalanick will play in the companys next chapter, butindicated that he would still be part of it.In a few of his first public comments,Khosrowshahi said the connection between them is budding and that I think theres mutual respect th ere.The board voted Sunday to have Khosrowshahi take the wheelas its new CEO, The New York Times reported.Khosrowshahi has beenthe online travel companys president and chief executive since 2005, and Business Insider reportedthat hes the U.S. CEO who took home the most money in 2015.Recode reports that Khosrowshahi should greet Ubers workforce during an all-hands meeting taking place either today or Tuesday.Ubers scandals have been unfurling for months, as chronicled by this Wired timeline (up to June 2017).Reuters summed it up, reporting that Khosrowshahi, 48, would take on the daunting task of leading Uber out of a nearly year-long crisis. That includes mending Ubers image, repairing frayed relations with investors, rebuilding employee morale and creating a profitable business after seven years of losses.So what can Khosrowshahi bring to the roiling company that distinguishes him from Kalanick? These are the qualities that set him apart as a leader - and unsurprisingly, theyre ex actly the kinds of traits companies want when theyre in a crisis.Hes personable and measured in his speechMany of Ubers workers were vertrauenswrdig to ousted CEO Travis Kalanick, who was nonetheless famed for his short temper and for promoting aggressive relationships.Kalanick demonstrated that he doesnt always get along with his employees in this video, which Bloomberg wrote about. He gets into a heated conversation over with the driver about decreasing salaries at Uber.Kalanick apologized to the driver in a message to employees, writing, Its clear this video is a reflection of me- and the criticism weve received is a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. This is the first time Ive been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it.Khosrowshahi seems to have a different, more likable management approach that could help the company heal.Burke Norton, former Salesforce and Expedia senior executive, told RecodethatKhosrowshahi commands loyalty and is honest.Dara is the smartest, most passionate and thoughtful executive Ive worked with in 25 yearsHe has super high integrity and is a phenomenal leader - the kind of leader whom people would follow into a burning building, Norton said.Thats a contrast from the impulsive Kalanick, who was given to making head-slapping public statements like calling the company Boober for all the female attention it won him.Hes calmA Washington Post article draws attention toKhosrowshahis calm demeanor. Ali Partovi, the executives cousin, reportedly spoke about how Khosrowshahi was a role model for himself and his brother during an interview.My whole life, anytime Ive faced a high-pressure decision, my model for mature behavior has been, What would Dara do? Hes one of the humblest and most even-keeled people I know, Partovi said.Its a long way from Kalanicks fits of anger.He isnt afraid to take a political stanceKalanick came out against the Muslim travel ban in a Facebook pos tin January,where he outlined what the company would do for drivers who might be affected by it, including 24/7 legal support for drivers attempting to return to the U.S.Khosrowshahi has gone further, taking on a role as an advocate for minorities, which should go over well with Ubers diverse force of drivers.Business Insider published an internal message to Expedia employees where Khosrowshahi, who is Iranian American, wrote about his gegenseite to the travel ban, which includes Iran.He drew on personal experiences.After writing that his family came from there to the US in 1978 after the Iranian Revolution, he wrote, We sure didnt feel like refugees, but in hindsight I guess we were then talking about how his parents left everything behind to start a new life for their sons in America.He then writes about the process of getting a Green Card, and that when it happened, they knew that we were welcome now, and we would be welcome tomorrow.He then writes about why he was against the pr esident and the ban, including that America will certainly be seen as a smaller nation, one that is inward-looking versus forward thinking, reactionary versus visionary.This perspective is important because it all boils down to managing a culture shift, whichKhosrowshahi has undergone in his lifetime.Uber will need to turn its corporate culture around, but having emigrated to the U.S. as a child and worked at multiple companies with different goals, he may be able to provide valuable insight.

5 Things You Dont Know About Resumes

5 Things You Dont Know About Resumes5 Things You Dont Know About Resumes8The resume is an important and necessary tool in any job search, and one that has become a staple in the modern world. HR professionals rely on the resume to screen potential candidates, while job seekers use it as a absatzwirtschaft tool. Despite such active use of the resume, we rarely think about a resume in terms of where it came from and where it is going in the future. What dont you already know about resumes?From its history to the newest trends, below are five things you probably dont know about resumes.Five Historical Facts About ResumesThe resume was created by Leonardo da Vinci over 500 years ago in 1482, but it wasnt called a resume until the late 1700sThe resume was more like a cover letter and used as a letter of introduction before a formal meetingThe word resume comes from the French word rsumer, which means to sum up Resumes gained momentum in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s when it became a formal docu mentThe 1970s and 80s pushed the resumes popularity higher through the use of word processingBonus Over the past few decades, the resume has shifted into a show, dont tell absatzwirtschaft and branding toolWhile the resume has a lengthy history, the way we create and market the resume is continually evolving. The resume has progressed from being our current cover letter to an amazing marketing tool that can be formatted and customized for each person, each company, and each job. Although the following new resume trends may not be for everyone, they are rather intriguing.Five New Resume Trends Infographic Resume Infographics are a fun and quick way to pick up information, and the use of an infographic resume is gaining momentum. Not only does it offer a visually pleasing way to communicate all of your experience and skills, it is an attention grabber and a quick read for HR professionals.Video Resume What better way to let your personality shine than through a video resume? Use you r creativity to create a video to complement your traditional resume. Ideally, keep it short and within two to three minutes.Social Media on Your Documents Social media is all the rage in our culture right now. As popular as it has become in the business world, more and more people are integrating social media into their resumes. You can add social media links into your resume, or go all out with a full social media resume, like a LinkedIn profile or About.me page.Use of Quotations Not just quotes, but specific endorsements provided to you by a prior client or former employer. Just make koranvers the quotation blends in with your resume and will lend credibility to your accomplishments.Facebook Timeline Resume Not necessarily a new way to market yourself, but the Facebook timeline resume can provide a quick and well-organized view of your accomplishments, experience, and personal brand in addition to your traditional resume. Essentially, its building your Facebook timeline to BE your resume. You add your experience and education to your Facebook timeline, and use that as a digital form of your resume. The great thing is that you can backdate your accomplishments, add photos and videos, etc.Remember, while these may be the newest trends in resume use, it is important to consider the job you are applying for and the company culture and environment. Some companies may be more open to new and trendy resume formats, where others prefer to stick to tradition.Another thing to consider about resumes is whether the new trend should replace your traditional resume. While an infographic-type resume may work on its own, other upcoming trends work better bysupplementing them with your traditional resume.Readers, what information about resumes surprised you? Would you use one of the new resume trends in your job search? Share with us below