"Lean In": Answering the Call for Female Leadership

An aspiring physician and recent graduate of Howard University--a historically Black university in Washington, DC and one of the most widely-known and respected HBCUs in the nation--I am often regarded as a future leader in and for the African-American community. But what does leadership look like for African-American women--or women in a general sense? In our current global society, women hold only 4.8% of CEO positions at Fortune 500 and 1000 companies. A recent survey of the United States surgical workforce reported that women comprise only 19% of surgeons in the country. Even at an institution such as Howard University where approximately two-thirds of the student body is female, a woman has NEVER been granted the title of full presidency at the University.

Furthermore, as a recently accepted student to the New Pathway Medical Degree program at Harvard Medical School, I realized that having "Harvard" attached to and affiliated with my name automatically deemed me a future thought leader in my field. Coming to terms with the idea that I would ultimately be catapulted into positions of leadership as a "Harvard physician," I began to notice these gender and racial disparities in leadership across all fields. All of this led me to ask the following question: Where are the women? At what point in their careers do women begin to shy away from positions of leadership, and what are some of the factors influencing these decisions?

Sheryl Sandberg, author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead and current COO of Facebook, addresses several of these issues in her book. Infusing personal anecdotes with advice for aspiring professional women of all ages, Sandberg does a wonderful job of providing motivation for ambitious and competent women who wish to become leaders in their respective fields. She opens by addressing some of the prevalent stereotypes that are currently associated with women in positions of influence. From an early age, many women are taught (and expected) to consider marriage and family as the ultimate priority--always keeping in mind the attainment of marriage when making decisions regarding the future. From my personal experience, even with the imminent and daunting responsibilities of medical school looming over my own head, my mother constantly questions, "Have you thought about a boyfriend?"

Often times, ambitious women with a desire to rise to the top of their fields are characterized as being "too aggressive" or "too uptight"--both negative connotations associated with women in leadership that are considered to be "too threatening" for a man. Sandberg encourages women to combat these negative stereotypes by challenging them to excel in their fields. As women occupy more positions of influence and leadership, we force society to view women in leadership as normative as opposed to an idea that portrays "woman" and "leader" as contradicting phenomena. How does Sandberg encourage women to "lean In?

1. TAKE RISKS: Seek out those career opportunities that allow room for growth.

One reason women avoid stretch assignments and new challenges is that they worry too much about whether they currently have the skills they need for a new role...Women need to shift from thinking "I'm not ready to do that" to thinking "I want to do that--and I'll learn by doing it."--Sandberg

In her book, Sandberg cites a report compiled by Hewlett-Packard that showed that men applied for open job positions if they believed they met 60% of job requirements while women only applied if they thought they met 100% of job criteria. The author conveys the idea that women often miss opportunities for growth and skill acquisition because we are afraid to embrace uncertainty and potential instability. As Sandberg states, "the cost of stability is often diminished opportunities for growth," and we must, therefore, be unafraid to take risks in our respective professions.

2. "SIT AT THE TABLE": Find your confidence and never underestimate your abilities.

Ask a man to explain his success and he will typically credit his own innate qualities and skills. Ask a woman the same question and she will attribute her success to external factors, insisting she did well because she "worked really hard," or "got lucky," or "had help from others."--Sandberg

Even as a rising first year medical student at Harvard Medical School (HMS), I found myself doubting my own abilities. During an HMS Revisit Weekend, I looked around at all of my future classmates and their accomplishments and began asking the question: Kia, do you deserve to be here? Here? At, arguably, the most highly ranked medical school in the world? Sandberg would encourage me to answer that question with a resounding YES!!! Know that your success comes from YOUR abilities, and be confident in your achievements. Never downplay yourself.

3. "SEEK AND SPEAK YOUR TRUTH": Learn to request advice and to voice your opinions.

...for many women, speaking honestly in a professional environment carries an additional set of fears: Fear of not being considered a team player. Fear of seeming negative or nagging. Fear that constructive criticism will come across as just plain old criticism. Fear that by speaking up, we will call attention to ourselves...--Sandberg

Effective and honest communication in the professional environment is a key component to effective and competent team building and team work. Sandberg further suggests that learning to give and receive feedback helps to build professional relationships. In a world where mentorship and networking have become a staple for advancing through the ranks, women should regard opportunities to give and receive feedback as opportunities to shape those necessary relationships with senior professionals that could potentially lead to advancement.

During a recent informative session and talk hosted by Rachel Thomas, President of LeanIn.Org, Sheryl Sandberg discusses the importance of "leaning in," even for recent college graduates. She encourages our generation, the Millennial generation, to emerge as the instrumental group of young professionals that will advocate for gender and racial equity and equality amongst positions of leadership across the globe. I am confident that this generation of women--and men--will accept the call to challenge the status quo and promote a world where "half of our companies are run by women and half of our households are run by men."