Based on their experience as leadership consultants and trainers the authors have identified that, in their opinions, women face specific and different roadblocks to men as they advance their careers.

Sally and Marshall share the 12 habits they believe hold women back in their career progression.

The book includes many stories from their leadership coaching experiences, with the names and details changed.

Quote from the book:

“The idea that high-profile women do not get to make their own life choices without first considering the potential impact upon all other women is a pernicious trap. Being successful at a demanding job while trying to maintain a rewarding personal life is tough enough for anyone in today’s demanding work culture. Expecting women to also calculate personal decisions based on how others will interpret them adds an extra burden. It’s certainly not a burden men are expected to bear. Yet women often find their decisions and setbacks scrutinized through the role model lens. This can become a source of shame and guilt, while also setting women against one another.”

How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back
Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith
Published: 2018