Authors help women advance

By SARAH PACHTER McClatchy Newspapers
Published Saturday, October 20, 2007

Happiness for women no longer is determined by whether they marry Mr. Right and raise 2.5 beautiful children. Women today expect to have successful careers and need to be financially independent. Two books offer advice on how to attain both.

“Through the Labyrinth”
by Alice H. Eagly
and Linda L. Carli
(Harvard Business School Press,
273 pages, $29.95)

“On My Own Two Feet”
by Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar
(Adams Media, 185 pages, $12.95)

Do people resist women leaders? Do family responsibilities hold women back? Do women lead differently than men do?

These questions and more are addressed in "Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders." Authors Alice Eagly and Linda Carli assert that the mythical "glass ceiling" preventing women from obtaining leadership positions is gone, as more women are becoming CEOs and top government officials. The labyrinth - a maze with dead ends at every turn - is a more appropriate metaphor, they say, so they explore the twisted paths women must traverse to achieve power in the 21st century.

Each chapter raises a question, which is then answered with psychological, statistical and anecdotal references. Although it is evident from the writing style that this text was authored by college professors, it also will appeal to nonacademics with its intelligent and clear-cut structure. The use of charts and graphs, as well as meticulous notes and reference sections, also makes this book a valuable resource for students, human resource professionals and executives.

Most of the book focuses on the reasons more women are not in higher leadership positions. The authors also suggest strategies women, men and organizations can implement to improve the environment for women who have leadership aspirations. Techniques they propose that women employ include establishing competence, taking credit for accomplishments, negotiating and networking.

They also stress the idea that men need to take more active roles in both their marriages and families so that women have the time and energy to succeed in business. Statistics show women still are the primary caregivers to their children and the main homemakers, even if both spouses work full time.

Women do have a much more difficult path to leadership than men, but this book proves this is not because they are less capable. Society, families and institutions each play large roles in the creation of the labyrinth. Changes in external factors and in women’s focus will help remove many barriers and create opportunities for more inclusive leadership.

The authors of "On My Own Two Feet: A Modern Girl’s Guide to Personal Finance" ask: "Have you been searching for a personal finance book that is short, inviting and easy to read? If so, your search is over."

This statement by Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar sums up the enticing qualities of this book. As the daughter of a business book guru, I have read many personal finance books, especially those geared toward women, but this one had the highest information-to-page ratio. In addition to chapters on the usual topics such as credit cards, credit scores, saving and investing, the authors include chapters on insurance, buying a home and car, and mixing love and money. Especially helpful was the chapter on priorities, in which readers are assured they can’t follow all of the book’s advice at once.

The only area in which I found it lacking was student loans, an important issue for young women (and men). Each chapter contained the requisite bullet points, tables, stories, statistics and summaries. Appendices added more specifics and references for further reading. This was not only a quick cover-to-cover read but also a handy reference guide worth keeping. As a first personal finance book for women, I recommend this book because of its brevity as well as its abundance of information.

Sarah Pachter is the daughter of Miami Herald business books columnist Richard Pachter and occasionally writes reviews for the newspaper. She can be reached at misspbc@gmail.com.