Unlock what's blocking your career, and open the door to new opportunity
At some point in their careers, many women encounter the mirrored door—the place where, when presented with opportunities, we reflect inward and hesitate, and deem we're not ready or worthy enough to move forward, whether that is to raise our hands or go for the next role.
But there is a way to break through, and to overcome the gendered expectations that girls and women internalize over our lifetimes that create a hidden barrier that keeps us from reaching our full potential.
Drawing on research, stories from her own career, and those of her students and the mid-late career women she has coached, Professor Ellen Taaffe explains why the five perils of success—being prepared to perfection, eager to please, trying to fit the mold, pushing too hard, and patiently performing and expecting rewards to follow—get us to a certain level, and then may prevent our taking the next step in our careers as expectations rise. She offers a new, empowering framework for navigating the challenges of the workplace with more awareness and expertise.
With a firm grounding in research, Taaffe teaches us about the realities of the workplace, how it influences perceptions of women, and what we can do to overcome the distorted self-reflections that ultimately hold us back.
A former Fortune 50 senior executive turned board director and professor, Taaffe is on a mission for women to have more seats and voices at the table of workplace decisions. In The Mirrored Door, she guides us to assess ourselves and our situations realistically so that we can take charge of our career success and take the lead in our lives.
The Mirrored Door
Break Through the Hidden Barrier that Locks Successful Women in Place
1 of 1 copy available
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
October 10, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9781774584316
- File size: 188341 KB
- Duration: 06:32:22
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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Taaffe blends research, professional expertise, and personal experience in a concise examination of women's self-doubt in the workplace. The author, a member of the faculty at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, discusses how gender stereotypes affect women's confidence. She outlines the characteristics of what she calls the "Inner Antagonist," and how this voice feeds into imposter syndrome. She divides her analysis into three parts. In Part One, she discusses how societal dictates affect how women are viewed and view themselves in a corporate environment. Part Two outlines how women need to relearn success strategies; Taaffe mentions how five strategies--"Preparing to Perfection," "Eagerly Pleasing," "Fitting the Mold," "Working Pedal to the Metal," and "Performing Patiently"--are each perilous in their own ways, and how any one of them can sideline women, rather than help them excel. Part Three brings the previous sections together to forge a new path--what the author calls stepping "through the mirrored door" by embracing courage and nurturing one's network. The conclusion gives specific examples in the author's own career--including an amusing reference to Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!--that reinforce her messages while encouraging readers to seek out other, diverse voices at every opportunity. The sources for the author's research are collected into a notes section in the back, not cited in-text. The inclusion of "Key Takeaways" and "Journal Prompts" helpfully offers readers an interactive way to understand the text's concepts. A mention at the beginning notes the language in this book conforms to a gender binary, due to the lack of inclusivity in the research she draws upon: "many observations are drawn from studies done without regard to intersectionality or gender fluidity." Readers may wish that the author addressed this statistical reality with more of her own theoretical musings. Though the author repeatedly mentions the disparities between white women and women of color in corporate settings, she gives no suggestions or calls to action to address them. An intriguing, if sometimes uneven, look at an important topic, told with confidence and occasional humor.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (Online Review)
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