Book dossier

It's Not a Glass Ceiling, It's a Sticky Floor

by Rebecca Shambaugh

Turn the top 7 career breakers for women into career makersStatistically, more than one-third of Fortune 500 managers are women-and yet we represent barely five percent of the top earners among executives. Usually, we blame it on men-those"old boy" networks that dont typically welcome women into"the club." But, according to leadership coach Rebecca Shambaugh, the real obstacle to womens advancement is not a"glass ceiling." Its the self-imposed career blocks that prevent us from moving up.These are the 7"sticky floors":1. Balancing Your Work and Life2. Embracing"Good Enough" in Your Work3. Making the Break4. Making Your Words Count5. Forming Your Own Board of Directors6. Capitalizing on Your Political Savvy7. Asking for What You WantAdmit it: Youve probably been"stuck" in at least one or more of these situations. Maybe youre a perfectionist who has trouble letting go of a task. Maybe youre so loyal to your company that you havent explored other career options. Maybe youre afraid of speaking up in meetings. Or maybe youre so accommodating to others needs that you never take care of your own.This book will show you how to get unstuck from these common traps. Youll discover how other successful women have managed to break out of middle management jobs to grab the top leadership positions. Youll hear hard-won advice from working mothers who also happen to be CEOs, including proven tricks of the trade when it comes to juggling career and family. Youll learn how to conquer your insecurities, transform your thinking, tailor your behavior, and demand the kind of professional recognition you deserve. Theres even a section of fill-in charts and checklists at the end of the book to help you stay on track, in control, and on the rise.Once youve freed yourself from lifes sticky floors, theres nowhere to go but up.