Broad Influence: How Women Are Changing the Way Washington Works

by Jay Newton-Small (Composer)

2016 will be one of the most historic years in politics: It marks the potential for the first female President of the United States, and the 100th anniversary of the first woman elected to Congress. Additionally, in 2016, single women will be one of the most pivotal voting groups heading into the general election, being courted by both Democrats and Republicans.
At the centennial of the first woman elected to Congress (which was three years before women legally earned the right to vote), their presence and influence in Washington has reached a tipping point that affects not only the inner workings of the Federal Government, but also directly influences how Americans live and work.
Never before have women been represented in such great numbers in the Supreme Court, both chambers of Congress, and in the West Wing. In Broad Influence, Jay Newton-Small, one of the nation's most deeply respected and sourced journalists takes readers through the corridors of Washington D.C., the offices and hallways of Capital Hill and everywhere else conversations and deals are happening to demonstrate how women are reaching across the aisles, coalescing, and affecting lasting change.
With deep, exclusive and behind-closed-doors reporting and interviews, including conversations with Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Mikulski, Kirsten Gillibrand, Valerie Jarrett, Sarah Palin, Kelly Ayotte, Cathy McMorris Rogers and dozens of other former and current senators, representatives, senior White House staffers, governors and cabinet members, Broad Influence is an insightful look at how women are transforming government, politics, and the workforce, and how they are using that power shift to effect change throughout America.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Politics, History, Book Club, Womens Studies, Professional Development

240 pages, ebook

First published January 5, 2016

Reviews

[Christine Zibas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being old enough to remember when jobs were listed in the newspaper under "Men" and "Women," this book comes as a revelation. All those changes that women have forged over the past 50 years or more are still not enough to let women enter some professions (think military combat and the board room). There's still an old boy's club (on Wall Street and, yes, even in the Obama White House). However, there is -- thankfully -- a "critical mass" that women can count on, according to Jay Newton-Small, a "Time" journalist.

This fascinating account of women in the halls of power reads like a story that's one step forward, two steps back. Until, that is, the numbers of women reach a critical mass (20 to 30 percent), a number that allows them to band together in common interest, or at least common respect. It allows women to be seen and heard when they are comfortable enough that they are not alone. It's been most widespread in public service, although slower in elected office.

Even there, however, American women have to be wily to truly accomplish anything, even going so far as to storm a meeting at the White House if need be. In the financial sector and in modern industry, women are still fighting to reach critical mass in leadership roles. In fact, I am sure that many women will be surprised to learn here that the US lags so far behind its allies in Europe and Asia in achieving parity for women.

There are many surprises in this book, especially for older women (like me, the Baby Boomer generation) who can see how far we've come since the 1960s and 1970s. The simple fact is there's still much to do. However, this book will likely even be a surprise for those of the Millennial generation, who come with an entirely new set of expectations, given that they grew up in the era of two-working-parent households. The battle for equality is far from over, as the author so deftly demonstrates.

This is an important book that both men and women need to read. Not only does it demonstrate the need for continuing work toward achieving parity for women, it demonstrates clearly just what women bring to the table and how needed that contribution is. Only resolute action will prevent women from taking another 50 years to get there.

[Katharine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A patron suggested that I buy this book for the Library and I am so glad I did! Couldn't set it down. Should be required reading for anyone with a sincere interest in bettering our society, men and women.

[Katie Shields · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published before Trump was elected, this proved to be sobering. I've been taking gender equality for granted. I'll be at the www.womensmarch.com/.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to copy/paste the review I wrote on Amazon:

I am writing a review of this book for a course on women and politics, but it is far too long to post here. Saying, "I love it, I love it, I love it and wish it were longer," is far too short. So let me attempt to make this something in between the two.

First of all, I want to address the writing style. Jay Newton-Small, the author, is incredibly talented at this part of writing. I consumed this book in under an hour, and then I went back and immediately reread the entire thing. I am reading it a third time to make notes on pages for my review for my course; I was too caught up in the book the first two times to remember to do this.

Next, the book topics themselves need to be addressed, and "topics," plural, is the correct word. Newton-Small addresses women in all branches of the political spectrum, the business field, the police force, in the military, and the true economic need in America to reach something like parity in the near future (and more fields, too). I learned about things I had no idea had taken place, accomplishments and trials that women have made and faced/still face. I was interested in how women who have succeeded in the various fields addressed believe, based on their experiences, that women have different traits than men that help success be reached in each field. I was then even more interested in reading about the accomplishments made by women that show those traits being used and the conclusions of studies that reaffirm these different traits existing.

That said, I will admit that there is one thing, very important for those using this in the academic sense and possibly less so for those reading it in their personal lives only, that I wish was different about this book. Newton-Small did not choose to include citations of the things she wrote about at the bottom of each page. Admittedly, there would be plenty of citations on some pages. Despite that fact, I feel the book would be slightly better if she had included them in that manner. (I feel I should mention again that I am using this for a course, making me one of the readers using it "in the academic sense".)

Given that lack, I would probably rate this book 4.75 stars if I had to for school, and I may do so at the bottom of my review for my course. A review based purely on my love for the book, however? That would earn this book 10 stars if I could rate it that way!

I am incredibly glad that this is one of the three books I chose to review for my course (which, sadly, is not normally offered by my university; I created the course myself, with my advisor approving it, for an independent study course).

If I were not taking this course, I would hopefully somehow come across this book and choose to buy it anyway!

I hope this review helps you choose to buy it, or that it helps you choose to borrow it from your local library. Reading it will enrich your life and knowledge of both what women have done in all sorts of fields that have helped enrich America, what they are still doing to enrich America, and how it is necessary that the federal government help women reach parity in America when it comes to employment on all levels--CEO's as well as entry-level positions, or working two blue collar jobs to support themselves and/or their families. Why necessary? In order for us (as I am an American) to remain an economically successful country. Or, alternatively, we could admit more immigrants to employ. I admit this second option exists when it comes to a need for more workers in America's near future.

It’s the poorer option of the two, however, by far.

EDIT: One tiny qualm: Pg 178 of the hardback edition made me see red briefly. I love comics. I know comics. To quote the book, "[...] partly because of the trend in films based on comic books, which historically don't have many strong female characters". This is factually incorrect. I'm setting a timer to see how many I can type in 30 seconds:

Shadowcat Storm Phoenix Marvel Girl Catwoman Poison Ivy Wonder Woman Dust Magik I Magik II Black Widow Raven Wasp Spider-Woman Viper Karma X--

Time's up. (I'm mostly an X-Men fan, can you tell? The last one would have been X-23; I refuse to call her Wolverine. Sorry, Laura, no.) Be they heroines or villainesses, comics are rich with examples of strong female characters.

I actually believe I will write to the author about this for any future edition.

But hey, we can't all be geeks.

EDIT 2: I messaged Jay Newton-Small on Twitter about the issue of strong female characters in comics.

She retweeted a tweet of my own linking to this review. In doing so she also wrote "point well made" about strong female characters in comics.

Awesome woman.

I also edited this review, which I originally wrote with a migraine, for clarity, ease of reading, and so I am not…well, embarrassed by it.

Never write a review with a migraine. Lesson learned.

[Kara Poe Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful analysis into the influence of women in public and private sectors. Compelling and hopeful. I look forward to reading more by Newton-Small.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jay Newton-Small's parents met in Zambia, both U.N. professionals. Her mother spoke seven languages, graduated from Cambridge, Oxford and Columbia where she earned a degree in international law. The U.N. had a rule against U.N. couples marrying, but because her mother outranked her father at the time, and they wanted to keep her on, the rule was changed. And yet, her mother endured insults, being ignored, various sexual assaults, because she loved her work.

This book is well researched and written by an obviously bright young woman. There are statistics and quotes to support her premise, but the book reads more like a novel. I recommend this book to all women who care about our role in the future of our country and indeed the world. She informs us of the role of women in other countries, Australia, England, Brazil and India. We must have critical mass in all sectors for us to be truly equal. Ms. Newton-Small encourages us with facts and opinions of the women shaping American today. Women are better at listening and striving for compromise. Women use words and logic instead of force and bravado. I encourage you to read this book - whichever side of the aisle you support, or even if you reside in another country.

[Ballerina60 · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am woman; hear me roar in numbers too big to ignore! i SAW a LOT of this stuff! i was in a manager's meeting with some kind of "special" guest speaker from upper management. when i asked a question, the speaker actually had the nerve to call me HONEY. when i answered him, i called him DEAR. boy, did i get in trouble! it was worth it.

there is a balance in the universe. male and female/yin and yang are all part of that balance. when we are not in balance, nothing works as it should. this "critical mass" is part of getting to that balance. and let's face it: when you exclude half of the population, you reduce your possible numbers of great minds and great achievers in half. when i was in college (not telling!) we had a course called Womens Studies. great book for that course!

Read this!

[Katherine Speece · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic look at the changing role of women in the public and private sector. Truly encouraging!

[Melissa Bakkila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a treasure of facts and anecdotes of women all across America in politics. It addresses how women handle things differently and approach things differently. Although it does mention women being more democratic than Republican, it does prove to be mostly bipartisan focusing on obstacles women face, how they handle conflict and disagreements, and their positive impact on the government regardless of party.

I had no idea the amount of obstacles that face women until I read some anecdotes from women as little as a few years ago. It's empowering to hear instead of getting upset about their struggles, most of the time they just push through and force the men in their field to include and accept them, and the men most of the time do.

Anecdotes help to paint a picture of struggles, and they are from real women in our government, however they are not proof of inequality as much as statistics and facts, which this book is also full of.

Although it highlights some places where we as a society need to improve on, it mostly is inspiring highlighting all the obstacles we have overcame.

A wonderful read for any feminist.

[Hannah Bergstrom de Leon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard about this book on NPR when it came out and it has sat on my "to-read" shelf for over a year. I am actually a little sad about that now. This is the story of women in the American workplace told through hundreds of interviews of women at many levels. It is well written and engaging while challenging the assumptions of what it means for women and men to cooperate and share power.

The book looks at a number of spheres including business, politics and the military to begin to unpack the effects that have occurred within those organizations due to having more women present at all levels of leadership. Newton-Small shares both the challenges and the successes while proclaiming value on either. Though the role of women and how the presence of women changes organizations is significant. If Newton-Small makes an argument it's that when well represented diversity is present, organizations have a longer and more meaningful impact.

Though it took me a while to finish this book, that had to do with my schedule, not with the writing or subject matter. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject matter.

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great piece about how far the USA has come in terms of strides for women in politics, the courts.

Nancy Pelosi says child care is her largest piece of unfinished business: "Affordable, quality child care - and that makes all the difference in our country and other countries. The most important thing that we can do to grow our economies is to unleash the power of women in our economy."

Hillary Rodham Clinton: So my whole adult life, both professional and my volunteer work, has been around children and families, and it is to me the most important commitment we can make."

"rocket docket" When Linda Morrissey became a county judge in Tulsa, OK, in 1995, she saw that unpaid child support often sparked domestic violence cases. When one parent didn't pay the other parent refused visitations, and the situation escalated. Morrissey created a "rocket docket" for child support cases to speed resolution and reduce domestic violence. If a defendant failed to pay after arraignment, Morrissey would bring the case to trial within 30 days, "even if I had to stay to midnight to see it done." If the defendant still had not paid by trial, s/he faced up to 6 mos in county jail, had to pay the plaintiff's legal fees, and had state-issued licenses, including driver's license suspended. Or the defendant could work out a deal to start paying child support.

The court generated $1 million in child support payments in the first year, paid on average in 32 days. The docket is still one of the most effective in the country. "It was so phenomenally successful, it exceeded my expectations," Morrisssey said. And just as hoped, the rocket docket helped decrease domestic violence cases. With regular child support in place, finances stabilized, and many former partners were allowed regular contact with their children.

Also, she changed the name of the divorce court to Families in Transition and launched a website that provided families with a variety of services: Marriage counseling, mediation, employment counseling, food stamps, and medical services. They redecorated the court lobby, replacing wooden benches with sofas and added children's books and toys. "Some sensitivity is very useful when dealing with people's lives," Morrissey said, "especially as a judge.

Families in Transition - Resources List:
http://www.familiesintransition.com/

Nancy Gertner: I quickly realized, judges are picked in their 40s and 50s for their wealth of wisdom and experience. I would be wasting mine if I didn't use it.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Marriage today is not what it was under the common law tradition, under the civil law tradition. Marriage was a relationship of a dominant male to a subordinate female. That ended as a result of this court's decision in 1982, when Louisiana's Head and Master rule was struck down. Would that be a choice that state should be allowed to have? To cling to marriage the way it once was?" Louisiana was the last state to abolish laws giving a husband control over household decisions and joint property without his wife's consent. The women who had worked to equalize the laws for the past 35 years were not helping LGBTQ people in their fight, even as women's progression stalled.

So, why is the Supreme Court still so backward on women? "To be frank, it's one person who made the difference: Justice [Anthony] Kennedy," Ginsburg told Elle in 1982. Kennedy is the court's swing vote and, while he has long had gay friends, most of the women in his life have held traditional roles.

In Ginsburg's dissent of a 2007 case Gonzales v Planned Parenthood of America: his "way of thinking reflects ancient notions about women's place in the family and under the Constitution -- ideas that have long since been discredited." She wrote that this paternalistic view of women's ability to choose "deprives women of the right to make an autonomous choice, even at the expense of their safety."

Just as women bring their lifetimes of experience to the bench, Kennedy brings his, and it doesn't involve women in positions of power.

David Cohen, law professor at Drexel University told the New York Times' Adam Liptak: Justice Kennedy relies on traditional and paternalistic gender stereotypes about nontraditional fathers, idealized mothers and second-guessing women's decisions."

Companies with more women in leadership roles run better and make more money, studies show. Catalyst, a group that researches the impact of women in the workforce, found that in 2004-8, companies that had the highest average percentage of female directors outperformed companies that had the lowest by 26%.

When McKinsey studied the differences between female and male bosses, it identified 9 leadership behaviors. Women scored high in people development, expectation and rewards, role models, inspiration and participative decision making. Men were more inclined to use two behaviors: control and corrective action, and to decide things for themselves. Two other behaviors - intellectual stimulation and efficient communication - showed no discernible difference between the sexes.

McKinsey then asked business executives which leadership qualities best prepared companies for the future. The 4 leading behaviors favored: intellectual stimulation, inspiration, participative decision making, and expectations and rewards. Women excelled at 3 of the 4 favored qualities, areas that 70% of those polled said their companies were deficient in. Clearly these companies need more women in the executive suite.

As the author was writing the book, Harvard invited her to live for a semester as a resident fellow at the Institute of Politics. As part of the fellowship, she held weekly non-graded seminars at the JFK School of Government, exploring with students what she discovered in researching the book. The students were millennials, born between 1982-2003, and mostly women. Most were shocked at how recently society treated women as second-class citizens: good for childbearing but not much else.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

~I received this book for free in a giveaway~

So.....this is okay? There was some information that was new to me and I did like how it went through different branches of government and the media ect chapter by chapter and took a look at women in it.


It was interesting, but I'm not sure it was as accessible to everyone. And I wanted to see less: this is what happen in the past and this is what is happening right now and more practical solutions. Like having a women's group in legislation is nice and good and all, but that doesn't really address the fact the old boys club generally has more power.



~Sidenote: the fact that she incorrectly has Wonder Woman listed as a Marvel film (pg. 190) made me wonder if she made other errors. ~

[Allegra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately I read this over the course of 2 months so I think my comprehension suffered. This book was written prior to the 2016 election, and it had so much hope for a better future, that so far has not come to fruition. The author's own history was very interesting, as were the anecdotes from lawmakers -- the path has been paved by some amazing women!

[Christine Kayser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for any woman in a leadership position or looking to be a leader. The insights are incredible. She combines in-depth research with interviews to weave an incredibly compelling presentation of the state of women in leadership positions, in government and in the private sector. I really enjoyed it and expect to come back to it over time.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. The intro about the author's mother was the most interesting part of the book. The rest, if you follow the news and care about these issues, doesn't plow much new ground.

[Christin Swayze · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for a book club and I really wanted to like it. Historically, it was interesting. In a way, each chapter of the book could have been a short story itself. This was one of the things that really bothered me about the book - how it kept going back and forth through time for each chapter. I never really felt like I got a clear picture of how women affected all areas through time. I did find some of her facts interesting, though. While I know that this book is about how women are influencing the way America works, I would have liked to have seen something about how this is affecting the men as well. There have been studies about how what is happening with women is affecting men and their masculinity. The question for me is where will the middle ground be?

[Kaitlin Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book that gives incite to the struggles towards reaching gender parity in a variety of employment fields.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting reporting on the influence of women in different industries/organizations/government agencies.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone needs to understand that Women's Issues are Everyone's Issues. Including women into business is as much about what is good for business as it is what is good for women. The same goes for women in politics. The book focuses on both the problems as well as the progress of women's role in our society.

[Hao Zhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! An in-depth analysis of the current female presence in American workforce from political world to private sector. The arguments on why equal female/male percentage should be advocated are a bit weaker. It would be great to have a chapter on academia too!

[Eleanor Thibeaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The decision enraged Ginsberg, who wrote a furious 25-page dissent, to which Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor joined."

This book has gone only a little stale, given that it was published right before the 2016 election and is therefore only slightly too hopeful for someone living in 2020. However, it was really interesting to read about different women who, at the time of publication, were only just getting their starts and to see how they've fought through the last 4 years with as much passion and dedication as they started. I also enjoyed the overview of all of the different areas in which women have made an impact on our imperfect union.

My only issue is at the very end, Newton-Small refers to Wonder Woman as a Marvel movie. Literally on the last page. We were so close! But alas, Wonder Woman is DC.

[Tanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting survey of how women gain more power once they make up 20% of any organization. The legal, military and business chapters contained information I hadn't previously seen, and anything that reminds me how fragile women's rights are and how recently and painfully they were gained is worthwhile.

However, the writing style and organization of this book is a mess. The chapters are broken down by arena (women in business, women in tech, etc.) and are a disjointed jumble of various platitudes about female leaders and unconvincing supporting case studies. There are no footnotes, so it's hard verify the book's claims as anything other than the kind of sexist claptrap it's supposed to combat. I would prefer if the book was organized by characteristic maybe? For instance, if she said that women are better listeners than men, then gave examples from the various fields she studied. That organization might have convinced me more of her claims. Also, if she had used more data and fewer case studies. It's too easy to refute and question case studies.

Also, minor pet peeve: this author severely needed some help on her culture section. The data on parity in Hollywood jobs was all well and good, but she skimmed over lots of things in culture and media that I think are encouraging and are training kids to accept gender parity and value traditionally feminine problem solving methods. For instance, she misidentifies Wonder Woman as a Marvel property. This makes me think that she doesn't know anything about comic books, and is unaware of the boom of superheroines who have been some of the comic publishers biggest successes of late. Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl, Captain Marvel, Lady Thor, etc. often use the kind of consensus building and talking things through that Newton-Smalls mention as a feminine strength. Although fluffy pop culture may seem insignificant, I think it indicates a sea change in our society's delineation of male and female traits.

In fact, I think the author is missing out on a lot by not addressing queer issues in general. As gay and trans people become more accepted and more successful, the idea of any character trait being exclusively feminine or masculine is going to become outdated. This may be rosy thinking on my part, but I think in 2050, men and women in positions of power who grew up on Steven Universe, and Lumberjanes, and Legend of Korra, and My Little Pony, and the aforementioned Marvel books won't see as much of a difference between women and men and won't let it affect women in power as much.

[Nuzhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish progress would continue, but I fear that with the new regime, gains will be limited.

[Eileen Breseman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read about how the world, and specifically the U.S. is at a point in leadership roles that can be the deciding factor in government, judicial system, law enforcement, public& private sector, Hollywood and more. Through 150 interviews with influencial women combined with history, statistics and news stories, Jay Newton-Small (correspondent for Time Magazine) shares up to very recent times (Jan 2016) how women leaders may be reaching a critical mass that has -'Broad Influence' in how our country is run. The outcome of a more balanced gender in leadership is a very positive step in our country, working side by side with men in all sectors.
I enjoyed pasting my own decades of life over the historic stories and the timing of this new shift as it opens opportunities for my children.
Recommended.

[Kate Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author told some interesting, up-to-date stories, which was the only reason I read it till the end, but she seemed to beat the point of critical mass like one beats a dead horse. It's possible since this is my degree, and the information being old hat, is why I found the manuscript repetitive. However, the intro and the epilogue are definite must reads. Less time is focused on parity around the world-- which the author takes the time to do. It's also worth reading about her influential mother and the role she played in the author's life.

Would I recommend the book? Most definitely, especially to those who don't understand this concept. But I fear she's preaching to the choir in regards to those who will crack the spine.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great summary of women in America today. This, of course, focuses on the main players that we are all familiar with nowadays. I enjoyed the law enforcement chapter and think it's message was particularly relevant with current events.

I wish more men understood what is portrayed in page 151 - '"you as not perceived to be as capable as the make officers standing next to you of the same tank under the same experience," she said. "So to some degree, they automatically dismiss you and expect less of you. To earn the respect, you have to outperform; you are therefore held to a higher standard than someone who is an equal in every other way except for gender."'

[Linda Podhajsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heavily researched book tracing the relative influence of women in all aspects of our culture. Newton-Small presents the concept of "critical mass" needed to influence decisions. Evidence is presented from business, law enforcement, academia, politics, military. She also differentiates the difference between public and private conditions. Essentially she presents the differences in approaches and method of operating between make and female.
This is written prior to the 2016 election campaign, but it is referenced.
Lots of food for thought, especially when I am tempted to "fight like a boy."

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched book detailing the recent rise of women in the business world. Well researched (the author interviewed a wide array of women in business, politics, the military, etc. (although most of the book discusses women in politics). I did learn a few nuggets of wisdom (you need at least 3 women in the room to make a difference (1 may be the loneliest number, but 2 is not much better, as the men in the room often look for signs that the 2 women don't get along ("women are too competitive") or get along too well ("women are too cliquey")....).

[Kels · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful overview of where women stand in the U.S. I loved all the stats backing up the author's assertions, and first hand experience from women, and the vision in the epilogue for how our country could move forward in regards to women and why it benefits us all. I would recommend this book to everyone.

And a side note: If you enjoyed the chapter on the judiciary, you should read the book "Sisters in Law" about Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

[Kelsey Breseman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and enjoyable, I learned things from this book. However, I didn't ultimately find it very useful; the case is strongly stated but lacks citations. There are a lot of "women are" characterizations in this book, and though sometimes studies are mentioned to back these up, they are never called out by name. This left me frustrated, and would make it very unlikely for this book to convince anyone who didn't already believe in its premise.