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Machiavelli For Women: Defend Your Worth, Grow Your Ambition, and Win the Workplace
From the NPR host of The Indicator podcast and correspondent for Planet Money comes a guide for how today’s women can apply the principles of 16th-century philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli to their work lives and finally shatter the glass ceiling once and for all—perfect for fans of Feminist Fight Club, Lean In, and Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office.
Women have been making strides towards equality for decades, or so we’re so often told. They’ve been increasingly entering male-dominated areas of the workforce and consistently surpassing their male peers in grades, university attendance, and degrees. They’ve recently stormed the political arena with a vengeance. But despite all of this, the payoff is—quite literally—not there: the gender pay gap has held steady at about 20% since 2000. And the number of female CEOs for Fortune 500 companies has actually been declining.
So why, in the age of #MeToo and #TimesUp, is the glass ceiling still holding strong? And how can we shatter it for once and for all? Stacy Vanek Smith’s advice: ask Machiavelli.
Using The Prince as a guide and with charm and wit, Smith applies Renaissance politics to the 21st century, and demonstrates how women can take and maintain power in careers where they have long been cast as second-best. Based on the latest research, tips from successful women across many industries, and experiences from Smith’s own life, Machiavelli for Women is a powerful, entertaining, and inspirational guide for a new generation of successful women.
Women have been making strides towards equality for decades, or so we’re so often told. They’ve been increasingly entering male-dominated areas of the workforce and consistently surpassing their male peers in grades, university attendance, and degrees. They’ve recently stormed the political arena with a vengeance. But despite all of this, the payoff is—quite literally—not there: the gender pay gap has held steady at about 20% since 2000. And the number of female CEOs for Fortune 500 companies has actually been declining.
So why, in the age of #MeToo and #TimesUp, is the glass ceiling still holding strong? And how can we shatter it for once and for all? Stacy Vanek Smith’s advice: ask Machiavelli.
Using The Prince as a guide and with charm and wit, Smith applies Renaissance politics to the 21st century, and demonstrates how women can take and maintain power in careers where they have long been cast as second-best. Based on the latest research, tips from successful women across many industries, and experiences from Smith’s own life, Machiavelli for Women is a powerful, entertaining, and inspirational guide for a new generation of successful women.
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First published September 7, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
July 18, 2021
I had low expectations for this book. I expected it to be a cringey, over-the-top, condescending book that is similar to how Machiavelli is viewed today. Luckily, this is not the case. Smith does an amazing job of pointing out redundancies and traps society has for women. This book is a combination of useful advice and confirmation that you're not crazy with thinking the odds are stacked against you.
February 16, 2022
I will start by saying I appreciate the sentiment behind this book and the amount of research that went into it. However, I was also so appalled by some of the content.
Don't feel like the workplace is supporting you when you're your authentic self wearing a red pantsuit? No problem! Wear red underwear - that's the same, right? (I'm not exaggerating, the header of the section is "The Red Underwear Rebellion").
Don't feel like the workplace is supporting you as an employee after you have become a mother? No problem! Exhaust yourself "doing it all" - that'll show em. I kid you not, the quote from the book is "You work so hard, nobody can believe you have children." The author acknowledges how cringe this advice is, and yet...
I'm tired of reading books like this telling me how women can change to make myself more palatable. Where's the book for men saying how to not make women feel this way at work? How to acknowledge and guard against their own biases? A problem of the genre, not just this book, but I made it about 75% through and had to put this down.
Don't feel like the workplace is supporting you when you're your authentic self wearing a red pantsuit? No problem! Wear red underwear - that's the same, right? (I'm not exaggerating, the header of the section is "The Red Underwear Rebellion").
Don't feel like the workplace is supporting you as an employee after you have become a mother? No problem! Exhaust yourself "doing it all" - that'll show em. I kid you not, the quote from the book is "You work so hard, nobody can believe you have children." The author acknowledges how cringe this advice is, and yet...
I'm tired of reading books like this telling me how women can change to make myself more palatable. Where's the book for men saying how to not make women feel this way at work? How to acknowledge and guard against their own biases? A problem of the genre, not just this book, but I made it about 75% through and had to put this down.
October 11, 2021
I listen to Stacey Vanek Smith on The Indicator, so I was happy to hear her conversational style in the audio version of her book. She offers good advice for salary and promotion negotiation, or if you work in a toxic work environment. Chapter 7, which deals with working while mothering, was infuriating to me. To be fair, she prefaces her statements in this chapter by saying that she is not a parent, and that Machiavelli stresses the importance of viewing the world as it is and not as it should be. The Mommy Hot Box is real. However, advising women to pretend that their children don't exist when they are at work, that parenting should not appear to affect their availability to work all hours, is FEEDING the patriarchal system that created the hot box. This chapter aside, the book offers practical advice with The Prince as a surprisingly sympathetic frame.
March 25, 2022
I found this advice misguided. Although the author admits this isn’t a book for systemic change, she doesn’t present anything we should be perpetuating either. There are times when we respond in unsavory ways out of survival and necessity (pretending we don’t have kids, hiding our authentic selves for the sake of men, smiling when we don’t mean it, apologizing to keep the peace) but to use that as the blueprint for success will only keep sexism alive. It’s a book about bending to the patriarchy when what’s needed is a feminine-centric approach. One that glorifies and empowers femininity (in all its forms). We should be talking about placing higher values on stereotypically feminine things…like motherhood. Give me dialogue on how to champion that role, not how to hide it (builds resilience, teaches communication with difficult and varied temperaments, forces new perspectives, usually involves management skills, cultivates patience). Let’s talk about the value of softeners in communication, instead of demonizing it because it sounds too female. Let’s talk diversity and the bottom line, or better yet - the pitfalls of a monoculture!! We have to make the obvious case that being female is valuable and that’s the toolkit I want in my back pocket. Moreover, pitting women against each other with labels such as the “Queen of Hearts” dodges the problem once again. While these characteristics may be real, and something to navigate, it does us all a disservice to ignore why we got that way in the first place. That discussion should be directed towards how we can identify those things within ourselves, and how we can see personally what we’re doing to keep other women down. The authors approach to this is shameful and competitive (here’s how to deal with these awful women!) where she had the opportunity to be introspective and healing. I recognize the point of this book wasn’t to upend sexism, but to promote sexist techniques as a path to “success”, and then market that to women, is also the problem.
September 6, 2021
This was an interesting take on the discrimination women in the workplace face. I think her arguments were well researched and her solutions are presented in a way that is applicable and might actually work.
I appreciated the inclusion of POC and LGBTQIA women and non-binary persons into her discussion.
Overall, this had some really interesting points and I would recommend to a friend.
Thank you to Net Galley for an e-ARC.
I appreciated the inclusion of POC and LGBTQIA women and non-binary persons into her discussion.
Overall, this had some really interesting points and I would recommend to a friend.
Thank you to Net Galley for an e-ARC.
February 25, 2022
This was an interesting read about how navigating a workplace can be different for woman versus men. The writing was clear and concise, and provided a multitude of examples. I also really enjoyed the connection to Machiavelli and how his teachings can be applied to present-day.
However, all though there was nothing wrong with this book, it just wasn't quite my cup of tea. I thought it was interesting enough and I would recommend it to others, hence the three stars.
However, all though there was nothing wrong with this book, it just wasn't quite my cup of tea. I thought it was interesting enough and I would recommend it to others, hence the three stars.
December 13, 2021
It was no better than “okay”. I’m not going to go back and count them, but I’d wager that there are fewer than 4 citations from Machiavelli per chapter and that 70% of them are single-line sentence fragments with elipses. The majority of the quotations are from sociologists or “case studies” of women who, while successful, never claim to have read The Prince or to have followed any of the tactics outlined within it on purpose. The author doesn’t analyze these quotations through the lens of The Prince or connect them to the text in any way.
I expected to write reams of notes on the contents of this book, but there were very few useful tips or actionable strategies. Machiavelli for Women spends most of its time decrying the ways women are disadvantaged while leaving the “pro tips” as afterthoughts. Most of them are, again, just made up by the author or offered as suggestions by gender researchers, not advice given by Machiavelli reinterpreted or substantiated. The few tips you can find in this book are identical to what you find in any other business book for women (ask for a raise, look up reasonable salary ranges for the position) without any flair or guile.
One final thing I disliked was the unprofessional writing style. If you open to any page at random, you’ll find italics for emphasis, capitalization for emphasis, “OMG!!!!!” or “YES! YES! YES!” It’s insulting to read about how women are wrongly looked down on in business environments, yet be talked to like a baby.
Overall, it held my attention. But, this was mostly because I was waiting for unique advice that never arrived. 3 stars.
I expected to write reams of notes on the contents of this book, but there were very few useful tips or actionable strategies. Machiavelli for Women spends most of its time decrying the ways women are disadvantaged while leaving the “pro tips” as afterthoughts. Most of them are, again, just made up by the author or offered as suggestions by gender researchers, not advice given by Machiavelli reinterpreted or substantiated. The few tips you can find in this book are identical to what you find in any other business book for women (ask for a raise, look up reasonable salary ranges for the position) without any flair or guile.
One final thing I disliked was the unprofessional writing style. If you open to any page at random, you’ll find italics for emphasis, capitalization for emphasis, “OMG!!!!!” or “YES! YES! YES!” It’s insulting to read about how women are wrongly looked down on in business environments, yet be talked to like a baby.
Overall, it held my attention. But, this was mostly because I was waiting for unique advice that never arrived. 3 stars.
September 18, 2021
Have been a long time listener to Stacey on NPR podcasts and didn’t realize she was writing a book until recently! Immediately got a hard copy and plugged away for the past week. The book was super informative, full of helpful insights and research, and quite funny! I had several occasions of reading the book and laughing out loud. Although I didn’t get the audiobook, I was able to sense Stacey’s intonation and tone while reading, making it all the more joyful. Will be recommending to more and more friends!
April 29, 2022
Machiavelli for Women by Stacy Vanek Smith
Finished my first audiobook today- had a couple of prompts to read one in this format- so I wanted to make sure it was a good one and boy was I surprised!
I listened to it during a 9 hour road trip and I learned so much. It was so insightful and I enjoyed listening to this new perspective about women in the workplace and will be applying some of the tips in my own career.
Some things that stood out for me personally:
When negotiating salaries- women typically think about what they need while men usually think about their market worth.
Men are likely to apply for a job when they are at least 60% qualified while women will usually try and find those they are 100% qualified.
Finished my first audiobook today- had a couple of prompts to read one in this format- so I wanted to make sure it was a good one and boy was I surprised!
I listened to it during a 9 hour road trip and I learned so much. It was so insightful and I enjoyed listening to this new perspective about women in the workplace and will be applying some of the tips in my own career.
Some things that stood out for me personally:
When negotiating salaries- women typically think about what they need while men usually think about their market worth.
Men are likely to apply for a job when they are at least 60% qualified while women will usually try and find those they are 100% qualified.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2025
Excellent book for all women, and especially women in the workplace. Well researched and entertaining. So many nuggets of truth for women to use to strive for more "fair" treatment in their careers and at work.
Still relevant second time through. This is one I will reread every time I consider job changes.
Still relevant second time through. This is one I will reread every time I consider job changes.
September 15, 2021
I've been listening to Stacey Vanek Smith for years on NPR and absolutely love her. This book, which I wish didn't have to be written, was witty and pragmatic with great touches of humor. I listened to the audiobook and the author's reading performance was phenomenal.
May 27, 2021
A quick read with tons of advice and words of wisdom for women navigating the workplace. Get out your highlighter.
July 19, 2023
There are plenty of books out there about how to make a more just, equitable workplace for women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ humans (and I can recommend a handful of really great ones off the top of my head) — this book is NOT that kind of book.
Unlike many of the books I read for work, Machiavelli for Women isn’t an abstract text about how to create the ideal workplace — instead, it’s a practical & tactical guide about how to navigate & renegotiate the workspace in a way that works for a specifically female framework.
Vanek Smith herself acknowledges that some of her advice isn't ideal — it is not advice that a woman would have to give another woman to succeed in a just world. But the reality is that we do not live and work in just environments, and if women want to succeed, they have to compromise in some ways. And if you don't think that's true, then you should come shadow me in my consulting work with female execs. These women sometimes (often) do have to sacrifice authenticity, compromise on ideals, and overwork themselves in order to succeed. The truth of the matter is that, as women, we are not allowed the opportunity to have it all.
With that in mind, pick up Machiavelli for Women. From someone who is tired of trying to fix everything, this book was a really refreshing take on how you can operate within the systems designed to keep you down. Nope, not ideal — but helpful? Yes, very helpful.
Unlike many of the books I read for work, Machiavelli for Women isn’t an abstract text about how to create the ideal workplace — instead, it’s a practical & tactical guide about how to navigate & renegotiate the workspace in a way that works for a specifically female framework.
Vanek Smith herself acknowledges that some of her advice isn't ideal — it is not advice that a woman would have to give another woman to succeed in a just world. But the reality is that we do not live and work in just environments, and if women want to succeed, they have to compromise in some ways. And if you don't think that's true, then you should come shadow me in my consulting work with female execs. These women sometimes (often) do have to sacrifice authenticity, compromise on ideals, and overwork themselves in order to succeed. The truth of the matter is that, as women, we are not allowed the opportunity to have it all.
With that in mind, pick up Machiavelli for Women. From someone who is tired of trying to fix everything, this book was a really refreshing take on how you can operate within the systems designed to keep you down. Nope, not ideal — but helpful? Yes, very helpful.
October 25, 2022
I didn't think Machiavelli would have much to teach modern working women, since few of us are trying to rule an Italian city-state, but I was mistaken!
A fun, breezy, unflinching look at dealing with workplace discrimination. I think it would have done me a lot of good when I was 20, before I had four younger male co-workers I had trained promoted over me, buuuut it's never too late to learn new tricks.
There were a few things that will help even this late in the game. (Negotiation: if they ask you how much you made at the old place, do your best not to answer! DOH. I always answered truthfully, setting a floor so my being underpaid followed me from job to job. What a fool!)
Also, the chapter on "practitioners of the dark arts" about recognizing toxic co-workers and how to deal with them, did a better job than my therapist at explaining how to handle a narcissist.
Recommended to young women especially, but also anyone who is marginalized in some way. A lot of the ways women self-sabotage in this book reminded me of some men I know who suffer from low self-esteem (and are neurodivergent or minorities now I think about it. SEE, marginalization! We can learn from each other!)
A fun, breezy, unflinching look at dealing with workplace discrimination. I think it would have done me a lot of good when I was 20, before I had four younger male co-workers I had trained promoted over me, buuuut it's never too late to learn new tricks.
There were a few things that will help even this late in the game. (Negotiation: if they ask you how much you made at the old place, do your best not to answer! DOH. I always answered truthfully, setting a floor so my being underpaid followed me from job to job. What a fool!)
Also, the chapter on "practitioners of the dark arts" about recognizing toxic co-workers and how to deal with them, did a better job than my therapist at explaining how to handle a narcissist.
Recommended to young women especially, but also anyone who is marginalized in some way. A lot of the ways women self-sabotage in this book reminded me of some men I know who suffer from low self-esteem (and are neurodivergent or minorities now I think about it. SEE, marginalization! We can learn from each other!)
November 25, 2022
Love Stacey from Planet Money. Her voice is really fun and engaging. I can imagine this being a great read for anyone working in an office/corporate environment, which luckily I am not.
November 12, 2023
By far the best book for women in the workplace that I’ve ever read.
September 19, 2021
Context: I got this book cuz I am a fan of Tracy Venek Smith’s work at NPR where she’s the cohost of Planet Money Podcast.
Pros: Practical, tactical advices that might be useful for those who stuck in work environments where women, especially women of color, are treated unfairly. The book is fun and fast pace - stays true with the author’s reporting style at NPR.
Cons: depends on where you are in your career stages and trajectory, you might not find this book useful. That’s the case for me. One might need to zoom out and take a more holistic view at what you want to achieve in your personal and professional life. Not just climbing the next rung on the ladder
Overall, I think it is worth a read. Especially you enjoy witty, no filters writing style.
Pros: Practical, tactical advices that might be useful for those who stuck in work environments where women, especially women of color, are treated unfairly. The book is fun and fast pace - stays true with the author’s reporting style at NPR.
Cons: depends on where you are in your career stages and trajectory, you might not find this book useful. That’s the case for me. One might need to zoom out and take a more holistic view at what you want to achieve in your personal and professional life. Not just climbing the next rung on the ladder
Overall, I think it is worth a read. Especially you enjoy witty, no filters writing style.
June 15, 2021
I was fortunate to receive this book for free as part of a giveaway. I really enjoyed the structure of the book. The information was neatly organized and presented. I found the workplace advice in the book very practical.
December 12, 2023
Machiavelli pöörab hauas ringi...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2025
Let me start by stating, I did not expect much from this. I’ve never been one for self help books, and the few I have read for the workplace were very much male-centric and that simply doesn’t work for women. This, however, was an incredibly eye opening piece, and Smith is a wonderful author & narrator. There were some very cringey moments early on (a lot of uses of the word aggro) but as I forgave these moments quickly and it felt like an old friend talking to me and giving me advice.
The statistics stated in the books are wildly depressing and in the beginning a lot of the tips made me angry (it almost felt like we had to play into our victim status and discrimination) but through the various interviews and reflections on her own experience as a woman in the workplace, Smith tells us of a story of hope, grit, and makes sure we know that our hard work can pay off. We just have to approach it a bit differently and look at things from our unique perspective and make the workplace work for us. I think this also has great tips for members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as people of different racial backgrounds.
I found this to be an enjoyable read that gave me some real insight into how to make the most out of my own career without falling behind in a male dominated field.
The statistics stated in the books are wildly depressing and in the beginning a lot of the tips made me angry (it almost felt like we had to play into our victim status and discrimination) but through the various interviews and reflections on her own experience as a woman in the workplace, Smith tells us of a story of hope, grit, and makes sure we know that our hard work can pay off. We just have to approach it a bit differently and look at things from our unique perspective and make the workplace work for us. I think this also has great tips for members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as people of different racial backgrounds.
I found this to be an enjoyable read that gave me some real insight into how to make the most out of my own career without falling behind in a male dominated field.
January 26, 2022
I picked the audio version of this novel up, not necessarily because I am trying to get ahead at work, but because I was interested in how someone would apply The Prince specifically to women. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, but I'm so glad I listened to it. The audio is read by the author herself and not at one moment did I feel like she was reading. It felt more like a very long TED talk. I found myself identifying with some of the methods she outlines here, not even realizing that I was implementing them, not necessarily at work, but in life in general. Large groups, clubs, or organizations, these principles can be applied across the board. It was also really interesting listening to the statistics and the anecdotes and interviews from which she pulled. I would say that this is excellent for women in general, as a lot of what she talks about can be applied to a lot of social situations that you come across every day.
May 21, 2022
Look I think my appreciation for this book is marred a little bit having just read Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men which I found to be much more enlightening. This was a good novel, it's well written, the author has a unique voice that's fun to follow along with, but the ideas in this novel didn't strike me as anything new or shocking. It's nice to read someone stating out loud what women deal with on an everyday basis within the business world, but I still wanted some new insight that was going to leave me reeling in a, wow I never thought about it that way, sort of way.
Still I'm glad I read this and it's a book that more people should read.
Still I'm glad I read this and it's a book that more people should read.
June 2, 2024
I'm very conflicted about this book. I think overall it is a useful tool for negotiating and navigating in the workplace, so I gave it 4 stars.
The place where I am conflicted, and I believe many people are conflicted when reading this book, is that it is not a ra ra, girl power, change the patriarchy. In other words, it is not a purist feminism read of the workplace. Instead, the book is more like... this is how the world is. It sucks, but you are more likely to get a raise if you are over prepared and smile. This at times feels gross to listen to, but at the same time its like... yeah the goal (for me), and the message from Machiavelli so to speak isn't an ideological judgement, but a practical how do I succeed.
So, I see a lot of tension, but I overall thought it was a valuable read.
The place where I am conflicted, and I believe many people are conflicted when reading this book, is that it is not a ra ra, girl power, change the patriarchy. In other words, it is not a purist feminism read of the workplace. Instead, the book is more like... this is how the world is. It sucks, but you are more likely to get a raise if you are over prepared and smile. This at times feels gross to listen to, but at the same time its like... yeah the goal (for me), and the message from Machiavelli so to speak isn't an ideological judgement, but a practical how do I succeed.
So, I see a lot of tension, but I overall thought it was a valuable read.
April 12, 2022
Absolutely 10/10! This book was everything I didn't know I was looking for in terms of career guidance. Stacey gives it to you straight! This is not a book for managers or corporations on how to make a more equal workplace, in fact it isn't even a book for women on how to advocate for a more equal workplace. It is a tough love, educated, empathetic, feminist look at what you need to do to be successful in your career. I think Machiavelli would be proud of how his wisdom for the Prince was reinterpreted for the modern day corporate princess. I sincerely look forward to more books from Stacey Vanek Smith.
March 27, 2024
Very nicely done. It’s a how-to guide for women (also actually useful for anyone) to navigate the discriminatory obstacles put in their way in the workplace. That includes specific strategies for negotiating for a new position or a compensation increase. It’s also an informative introduction to the book (Machiavelli’s “The Prince”) for those who haven’t read it. Combining advice from Machiavelli with real stories of contemporary women adds an extra layer of engaging and inspirational stories. I learned a lot, most importantly how I can be more aware of the ways implicit biases might have made things harder for the people I work with.
It’s also very thoughtfully written, including a final chapter that is a really lovely reflection on how the pandemic changed us all. Highly recommended.
It’s also very thoughtfully written, including a final chapter that is a really lovely reflection on how the pandemic changed us all. Highly recommended.
October 29, 2024
3.5/5. There was a lot I liked about this book. However, there were some approaches that didn’t really sit right with me. The notion that we have to change how we dress and have little rebellions (like wearing red underwear) is… so weirdly paternalistic? Maybe that’s how the world is, but not how it should be - I’d like to know, how do we circumvent that?
Also was not a fan of her chapter on women being barriers to other women. Is this a phenomenon that happens, yes. But do we have to speak down on the women who do it when they are victimized by the same system that we are? Eh. Empowered women empower women. We don’t have to stereotype and cut down others to succeed ourselves.
Also was not a fan of her chapter on women being barriers to other women. Is this a phenomenon that happens, yes. But do we have to speak down on the women who do it when they are victimized by the same system that we are? Eh. Empowered women empower women. We don’t have to stereotype and cut down others to succeed ourselves.
May 24, 2022
Stacey Vanek Smith has long been the #1 role model of mine when it comes to storytelling in the workplace. She's THE master of distilling difficult or unpalatable concepts into something easily digestible and entertaining.
This book made me want to set my house on fire. The workplace is so unfair for women! There's SO MUCH DATA showing that!
The author offers a view of how to handle things as they are today, not optimistic fluff about how they should be.
This book made me want to set my house on fire. The workplace is so unfair for women! There's SO MUCH DATA showing that!
The author offers a view of how to handle things as they are today, not optimistic fluff about how they should be.
August 20, 2022
If you are a woman, you should read this. If you are not a woman but support women (or think you do), you should read this. There are so many scenarios brought up that people may be unconsciously treating men and women differently as well as ways men can speak up to make sure the women in the room get heard, their ideas get credited to them, and redirecting the conversation when a woman inevitably gets interrupted.
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May 9, 2023I was a dedicated listener and fan of "The Indicator from Planet Money" when Stacey Vanek Smith and Cardiff Garcia were co-hosts. I knew of this book because I heard Stacey promoting it on various podcasts. So, I don't know why I didn't read it right away. I might have thought it didn't apply to me because I work in the public sector and not private business.
But it DOES apply.
And it's engagingly written.
And I love that the audiobook was read by Stacey herself. It's like listening to an extra long episode of "The Indicator."
But it DOES apply.
And it's engagingly written.
And I love that the audiobook was read by Stacey herself. It's like listening to an extra long episode of "The Indicator."
January 23, 2022
Women who want to take charge of their careers, achieve their professional potential, and get paid what they're worth need this book. You'll savor the author's perspective, which has the perfect balance of her journalistic approach and her personal enthusiasm. And you'll want to invite her for coffee to enjoy her wit, intelligence, and energy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews