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Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders
Despite real progress, women remain rare enough in elite positions of power that their presence still evokes a sense of wonder. In Through the Labyrinth , Alice Eagly and Linda Carli examine why women's paths to power remain difficult to traverse. First, Eagly and Carli prove that the glass ceiling is no longer a useful metaphor and offer seven reasons why. They propose the labyrinth as a better image and explain how to navigate through it. This important and practical book addresses such critical questions as: How far have women actually come as leaders? Do stereotypes and prejudices still limit women's opportunities? Do people resist women's leadership more than men's? And, do organisations create obstacles to women who would be leaders?This book's rich analysis is founded on scientific research from psychology, economics, sociology, political science, and management. The authors ground their conclusions in that research and invoke a wealth of engaging anecdotes and personal accounts to illustrate the practical principles that emerge. With excellent leadership in short supply, no group, organisation, or nation can afford to restrict women's access to leadership roles. This book evaluates whether such restrictions are present and, when they are, what we can do to eliminate them.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2007
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886 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 19, 2012
Ok, Mr. Castellanos, this review is for you. I will start off with a great big, "Bite Me!" (Brought to you on behalf of Rachel Maddow and professional U.S. women).
This book is one for a university course, but it sooooo tremendously dispels Mr. Castellanos's arguments towards Rachel Maddow on Meet the Press (see: Huffington Post ), that I HAD to post a review.
On the show, Mr. (Asshole) Castellanos made the argument that women earn less because they work at their profession less hours per week compared to men. This is true. The reason: women are STILL primarily responsible for child rearing and housekeeping despite the fact that men do contribute more to such duties than in the past. Men can and do put in the extra hours needed to succeed because most upper-level professional men have stay-at-home wives who take on the home responsibilities. Upper-level professional women do not, typically, have stay-at-home husbands, and a woman's role remains primarily responsible for the cooking, cleaning, nursing, laundry, etc., even if that means arranging for outside help to assist in the completion of these duties (Hello? Men? You all can't clean a toilet?). If you are middle class or below, both partners are working with the woman still primarily responsible. In other words, men's careers are not derailed by family obligations, women's careers are derailed. (Oh, and by the way, when you look at a combination of paid professional and unpaid domestic hours of work per week, women work more hours than men.)
Now, there are other factors that impede women's progress and the book makes these factors clear. It all comes down to the fact that there remains discrimination against women in business (both in hiring and promotions), although it would probably be better categorized, according to the authors, as prejudice since gender stereotypes are automatically assumed (we all carry stereotypes...it's part of humans making sense of their world through categorization). The authors revealed their findings through a meta-analysis, or taking the results of various studies and identifying patterns in conclusions. Men are not better natural leaders, although that is a stereotype we carry. Women are just as capable, but we consider women nurturers, not leaders. Long-standing business culture is tough to crack open in order to expose it to change.
Now, there is a nuanced argument that I wish to make. According to the authors, more women opt out of corporate business to start their own businesses, allowing women to structure the type of work life they need, which fosters family time and gives them access to success. So, I want to know if the Republican party is willing to admit that WOMEN are the job creators? That's right. Job creation is not the result of tax cuts for billionaire men and their corporations. Me thinks the Rethuglican Party (not be confused with reasonable Progressive Republicans) had better rethink their stance on birth control, abortion services, and bible-thumping about appropriate roles for women. You are going to alienate a strong voting base.
The book is not perfect. They define gender only as the binaries of male and female. The meta-analysis also does not discuss work hours in relation to family life of same-sex partners and/or professional barriers they encounter. Still, it was enough for me to flip Mr. Castellanos the bird, and that is satisfying enough for me.
This book is one for a university course, but it sooooo tremendously dispels Mr. Castellanos's arguments towards Rachel Maddow on Meet the Press (see: Huffington Post ), that I HAD to post a review.
On the show, Mr. (Asshole) Castellanos made the argument that women earn less because they work at their profession less hours per week compared to men. This is true. The reason: women are STILL primarily responsible for child rearing and housekeeping despite the fact that men do contribute more to such duties than in the past. Men can and do put in the extra hours needed to succeed because most upper-level professional men have stay-at-home wives who take on the home responsibilities. Upper-level professional women do not, typically, have stay-at-home husbands, and a woman's role remains primarily responsible for the cooking, cleaning, nursing, laundry, etc., even if that means arranging for outside help to assist in the completion of these duties (Hello? Men? You all can't clean a toilet?). If you are middle class or below, both partners are working with the woman still primarily responsible. In other words, men's careers are not derailed by family obligations, women's careers are derailed. (Oh, and by the way, when you look at a combination of paid professional and unpaid domestic hours of work per week, women work more hours than men.)
Now, there are other factors that impede women's progress and the book makes these factors clear. It all comes down to the fact that there remains discrimination against women in business (both in hiring and promotions), although it would probably be better categorized, according to the authors, as prejudice since gender stereotypes are automatically assumed (we all carry stereotypes...it's part of humans making sense of their world through categorization). The authors revealed their findings through a meta-analysis, or taking the results of various studies and identifying patterns in conclusions. Men are not better natural leaders, although that is a stereotype we carry. Women are just as capable, but we consider women nurturers, not leaders. Long-standing business culture is tough to crack open in order to expose it to change.
Now, there is a nuanced argument that I wish to make. According to the authors, more women opt out of corporate business to start their own businesses, allowing women to structure the type of work life they need, which fosters family time and gives them access to success. So, I want to know if the Republican party is willing to admit that WOMEN are the job creators? That's right. Job creation is not the result of tax cuts for billionaire men and their corporations. Me thinks the Rethuglican Party (not be confused with reasonable Progressive Republicans) had better rethink their stance on birth control, abortion services, and bible-thumping about appropriate roles for women. You are going to alienate a strong voting base.
The book is not perfect. They define gender only as the binaries of male and female. The meta-analysis also does not discuss work hours in relation to family life of same-sex partners and/or professional barriers they encounter. Still, it was enough for me to flip Mr. Castellanos the bird, and that is satisfying enough for me.
September 6, 2009
The glass ceiling is no longer an adequate metaphor. Women can rise to the top of organizations, but there are still plenty of obstacles to navigate around. This book uses the metaphor of a labyrinth to examine the ways in which women aspiring to leadership positions can be stymied, and how women can better navigate the labyrinth. It's an academic yet extremely readable and well organized book. The authors use their own research, data from hundreds of other studies and analyses, and anecdotal evidence to make their case. The bibliography is very comprehensive.
June 23, 2018
I’d love to see a revised version. The studies are a little dated now, but a great overview of some of the challenges and areas still changing for women in leadership.
May 17, 2021
I suppose I should preface this review by saying I am a master's student in social psychology who is well-versed in gender studies along with feminist and queer theories and psychologies. I am also reviewing this book from my own perspective, which may not be that of most.
That being said, I was hopeful in going into this book but I am disappointed now that I've completed it. I thought that it was very simplistic, and also exclusionary: do you or do you not think that this labyrinth applies to non-White women? Does this apply to trans women? I am guessing not considering the research doesn't exist yet. Additionally, the entirety of the book is incredibly heteronormative - so how does this "labyrinth" apply to queer women who are aspiring leaders? This book didn't really tell me anything that I didn't already know. But as I stated earlier, this has been my main area of focus for the past five years or so. If anything, it generated more questions than answers that I am more than happy to use for future research. I am also disappointed in the "advice" that the authors provided for women in the next to last chapter. It seemed to me that, if anything, it was giving women advice in how to operate in this "man's world" but doesn't really do much to change it.
That being said, I was hopeful in going into this book but I am disappointed now that I've completed it. I thought that it was very simplistic, and also exclusionary: do you or do you not think that this labyrinth applies to non-White women? Does this apply to trans women? I am guessing not considering the research doesn't exist yet. Additionally, the entirety of the book is incredibly heteronormative - so how does this "labyrinth" apply to queer women who are aspiring leaders? This book didn't really tell me anything that I didn't already know. But as I stated earlier, this has been my main area of focus for the past five years or so. If anything, it generated more questions than answers that I am more than happy to use for future research. I am also disappointed in the "advice" that the authors provided for women in the next to last chapter. It seemed to me that, if anything, it was giving women advice in how to operate in this "man's world" but doesn't really do much to change it.
May 31, 2021
This book should be mandatory reading for anyone (regardless of gender) studying leadership/ business management.
Even in progressive labour market, ambitious and qualified female leaders are still faced with an uphill road to the top while their equally qualified male counterpart more or less glide into top management roles.
The labyrinth image replacing the glass ceiling makes so much sense and the authors skillfully guide readers through a virtual labyrinth crossing using real life, understandable examples that make one go “aha” in recognition time and time again.
Loved it, loved it, loved it
Even in progressive labour market, ambitious and qualified female leaders are still faced with an uphill road to the top while their equally qualified male counterpart more or less glide into top management roles.
The labyrinth image replacing the glass ceiling makes so much sense and the authors skillfully guide readers through a virtual labyrinth crossing using real life, understandable examples that make one go “aha” in recognition time and time again.
Loved it, loved it, loved it
June 6, 2019
Overall I really enjoyed it. I did think some of the information was rehashed towards the end of the book, which I found to be unnecessary. But the information the authors provided was awesome and I'm happy that I read the book!
Want to read
July 1, 2020As seen in What Works for Women at Work.
October 17, 2020
I have read this book a few times, and I think it is a must read.
did-not-finish
July 23, 2021Read a couple chapters. Too academic for what I was looking for!
April 3, 2023
This book was required reading for school. There were some interesting points throughout the book, but this is not a book I would have picked up by choice.
April 28, 2014
A good examination of women leaders around the US today. There were some good facts in here and some areas I had not thought of before.
The biggest downfall for me was the repetition of information, at least once a page you got "as we discussed in chapter X." The last few chapters had no new information but recycled the old information.
One chapter (cannot remember which one) was extremely depressing and made it seem like being a leader as a woman is so hopeless you might as well just give up now. That was disappointing.
It is a social science book so for those that are looking for a great deal of scientific data- this is not it. It does quote some studies but a lot of the time the studies are not up to standard with what we would like to see in order to generalize it to the wider population.
This book is written mainly for women who do have options and are not necessitated to work and those that have the ability to advocate for themselves. There is mention of minority women which I believe is just as important and needs to be brought up more.
Overall, I preferred Sandberg's "Lean In" better but I did get some good information and talking points from this book.
The biggest downfall for me was the repetition of information, at least once a page you got "as we discussed in chapter X." The last few chapters had no new information but recycled the old information.
One chapter (cannot remember which one) was extremely depressing and made it seem like being a leader as a woman is so hopeless you might as well just give up now. That was disappointing.
It is a social science book so for those that are looking for a great deal of scientific data- this is not it. It does quote some studies but a lot of the time the studies are not up to standard with what we would like to see in order to generalize it to the wider population.
This book is written mainly for women who do have options and are not necessitated to work and those that have the ability to advocate for themselves. There is mention of minority women which I believe is just as important and needs to be brought up more.
Overall, I preferred Sandberg's "Lean In" better but I did get some good information and talking points from this book.
December 3, 2013
This is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in multidisciplinary, empirical perspectives regarding women and leadership. The text is easy to read, well-researched (drawing often from the author`s own studies and publications), and all-around interesting! I will not only use this as a resource for informing my own line of research, but also as a personal guide.
It is about time we reconsidered the overly simplistic metaphor often used in this discussion (e.g., a "pipeline" or a "glass cieling") and replaced it with "labrynth" instead- it`s certainly a more accurate term to describe the evidence from both research and practical perspectives.
It is about time we reconsidered the overly simplistic metaphor often used in this discussion (e.g., a "pipeline" or a "glass cieling") and replaced it with "labrynth" instead- it`s certainly a more accurate term to describe the evidence from both research and practical perspectives.
April 17, 2012
Really eye opening on some of the challenges women face in the workplace. While I appreciated the data-based foundations of the findings, it was a bit dry to read sometimes. Definitely not a sit by the pool kind of book. It took me awhile to get through it. I would have loved to hear more vignettes of successful women leaders. However, overall, it raised some great points and a worthwhile read for men and women.
May 1, 2012
This is a good book for both men and women to read. It is particularly helpful for people in positions who affect personnel advancement. Diverse leadership (not tokenisim) improves performance and the bottom line performance shows it. I for one would love to be able to put my 401 in a stock portfolio that only has companies with a minimum of 25% women on the board of directors, as well as racial diversity.
September 25, 2008
This is the most recent volume of amazing work speaking towards the dearth of women in leadership. It brings together statisical studies addressing both discriminatory attitudes and the burdens of childcare and parenting on a career. It recharacterizes barriers for women in the workplace from a glass ceiling to a labyrinth of small obstacles that all add up over time.
December 1, 2010
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was required reading for a course of mine in business school. It took a look at women in the workplace and how they compare with men in many different areas such as in leadership roles, time management, and the amount of work that gets done. It is well worth reading if you are a woman with a career or if you are a man interested in management.
November 15, 2011
This was such an annoying book that I couldn't even read it through. Technically, I never really read any of this book, but it was required for a class, so I "skimmed" it. Which even that didn't really happen. The parts I did actually read made me so mad and annoyed that I gave up because it's so dumb. I'm just so glad that I'm done with this book!
January 13, 2015
Outstanding & practical progress from the "old school" Glass Ceiling conversation. Through their work one can develop a plan for progress by realizing some of the primary elements that have kept women and minorities in a career maze.
Great research and consulting resource.
Great research and consulting resource.
June 11, 2015
It was good but nothing revolutionary. I've seen the data elsewhere. It also suffered from some of the same problems as Sandberg's book, though not as much. Also- did no one edit this book? It's incredibly repetitive.
March 30, 2013
A must-read book on leadership and management for women in business.
August 2, 2013
Such a great summary of lots of research on women and leadership. Folks should read this rather than Lean In.
February 26, 2015
It felt like common sense with empirical data--which is great--but I was hoping for something more.
February 19, 2017
Book covers many of the issues that may hold women back. Solid read. Worth my time.
Would love to see what they would do with a second edition.
Would love to see what they would do with a second edition.
July 22, 2016
Fabulous information, but the presentation is a little dull.
August 7, 2021
(Read this for a women's studies seminar)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews