Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less
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"A renowned expert in the women's leadership movement, Tiffany Dufu was once like so many other driven and talented women who have been brought up to believe that to have it all, they must do it all. But after she gave birth to her first child, she struggled to accomplish everything she thought she needed to in order to succeed. Dufu began to feel that achieving her career and personal goals was an impossibility. Eventually, she discovered the solution: letting go. In Drop the Ball, Dufu recounts how she learned to reevaluate expectations, shrink her to-do list, and meaningfully engage the assistance of others--freeing the space she needed to flourish at work and to develop deeper, more meaningful relationships at home. Even though women make up half the workforce, they still represent only 18 percent of the highest-level leaders. The reasons are obvious: just as women reach middle management, they are also starting families. Mounting responsibilities at work and home leave them with no bandwidth to do what will most lead to their success. Offering new perspective on why the women's leadership movement has stalled, and packed with actionable advice, Tiffany Dufu's Drop the Ball urges women to embrace imperfection and to expect less of themselves and more from others--only then can they focus on what they truly care about, devote the necessary energy to achieving their real goals, and create the type of rich, rewarding lives we all desire."--Dust jacket.
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This book isn't going to be for everyone, but it struck a chord with me. The audience is really focused on driven women with large networks (or the potential to tap into large networks). I liked that Dufu's book opened with her personal narrative yet didn't linger too long on any one aspect, focused on sharing the quotidian concerns that so many of us get caught up in. I found this to be a well-written, smartly argued book – and I'm really quite grateful for having a spouse who is already 50/50 with me on things.
I'm selective with my 5 stars, so I was surprised by all the negative reviews. I think most of the negative reviewers are simply not the target audience for this book. I saw no marketing; I found this title on a list of books recommended by TED presenters. Here's who I think should read this.
If you:
- are a woman
- are married/in a committed relationship
- have at least one (probably young) kid
- are ambitious, invested in your work/career/art
- feel like the burden of everything at home, w/kid(s), weighs on you alone (default mode overwhelmed)
- wish your significant other would share more of the workload
- resent feeling like your work life needs to take a backseat to home life because why do women's careers matter less than men's for real though?
Then this book is for you. I would classify it as more of a marriage book for business-minded women, with a hint of memoir. Feminist in all the right ways while being respectful. Highly, highly recommended.
(I have not read Lean In so I can't compare).
Interesting insights and tips but some are not realistic to every women. Waking up at 5am is not realistic for those that spend 3-4 hours on public transport to get to work, specially when it's a strenuous work like cleaning. Creating a tribe is not as easy for neurodivergents. She talks about her experiences which are great, but women must be careful to not take it as a set rule to follow in life.
