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Title details for Machiavelli for Women by Stacey Vanek Smith - Available

Machiavelli for Women

Defend Your Worth, Grow Your Ambition, and Win the Workplace

by Stacey Vanek Smith
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From the NPR host of The Indicator and correspondent for Planet Money comes an "accessible, funny, clear-eyed, and practical" (Sarah Knight, New York Times bestselling author) guide for how women can apply the principles of 16th-century philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli to their work lives and finally shatter the glass ceiling—perfect for fans of Feminist Fight Club, Lean In, and Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office.
Women have been making strides towards equality for decades, or so we're often told. They've been increasingly entering male-dominated areas of the workforce and consistently surpassing their male peers in grades, university attendance, and degrees. They've recently stormed the political arena with a vengeance. But despite all of this, the payoff is—quite literally—not there: the gender pay gap has held steady at about 20% since 2000. And the number of female CEOs for Fortune 500 companies has actually been declining.

So why, in the age of #MeToo and #TimesUp, is the glass ceiling still holding strong? And how can we shatter it for once and for all? Stacy Vanek Smith's advice: ask Machiavelli "with this delicious look at what we have to gain by examining our relationship to power" (Sally Helgesen, New York Times bestselling author).

Using The Prince as a guide and with charm and wit, Smith applies Renaissance politics to the 21st century, and demonstrates how women can take and maintain power in careers where they have long been cast as second-best. "Machiavelli For Women is the ultimate battle guide for our times. Brimming with hard-boiled strategies, laced with wit, it's a must-read for every woman ready to wield power unapologetically" (Claire Shipman, coauthor of The Confidence Code).

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    September 7, 2021

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781982121778

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781982121778
      • File size: 3069 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Booklist

      Starred review from August 1, 2021
      Though geared toward women, this playbook from NPR host Smith could work for any sex. First Smith debunks the myths that fifteenth-century author Machiavelli was evil, conniving, and just plain mean. It's all about context, she says, pointing out his environment and his passion as a true supporter of Florence. She then focuses on five elements of success: money, confidence, respect, support, and title. Every element features a Machiavellian interpretation, in a good way. Money, for instance, speaks to women's avoidance of negotiation, their willingness to settle for less, and their belief that asking is verboten. That story centers on Adele Lim, a scriptwriter for Crazy Rich Asians who, when asked to contribute to a follow-up movie for far less money than her male counterparts, says no. Other solutions include mentoring, fighting sexual harassment, gaining a title (do raise your hand), and avoiding the parent trap (difficult in 2020-21, to be sure). And kudos to Smith for identifying the women characters who threaten all careers--from the familiar queen bee and bully to the toxic "queen of hearts." A final chapter offers the "lady's guide to negotiation," from researching the environment to identifying what individuals want. Guidance to relate to and follow.

      COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Library Journal

      January 1, 2022

      Smith (correspondent to the NPR program Planet Money) translates Machiavellian strategy for women at work. She highlights various women like Sallie Krawcheck, the so-called She-Wolf of Wall Street, and Olympian Alysia Montano. She describes her book as "a kind of playbook for women to achieve power and prosperity in the workplace," exploring topics like money, confidence, and respect. She takes care to include women of color and LGBTQ+ people in the conversation and also addresses sexual harassment and the #MeToo movement. Lessons from Machiavelli's The Prince are inserted throughout the text; examples include reading the room, strategic softening, and bringing one's own chair (so as not to be left out). She describes these 16th-century rules in modern ways (e.g., "fake it 'till you make it"; "just do it"). On mentoring, her advice is: be the mentor you want to see in the world, use the almighty network, and be prepared. She ends with "A Lady's Guide to Negotiation" and pitfall alerts. The notes section yields many sources to follow up on. VERDICT Machiavelli's strategies are universal, and Smith applies them to modern women relevantly.--Barbara Kundanis

      Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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