How Women Rise by Sally Goldsmith & Marshall Helgesen Summary

How Women Rise identifies 12 self-sabotaging habits that hinder women’s career advancement, such as minimizing achievements, overvaluing expertise, and perfectionism. The book provides strategies to replace these behaviors with confidence-building practices, helping women break through the "sticky floor" and reach leadership roles.

This book is ideal for women seeking to advance into leadership positions, professionals navigating workplace barriers, and managers aiming to support female colleagues. It’s particularly relevant for those recognizing that past behaviors may no longer serve their growth.

Yes—it combines actionable advice with real-world examples, endorsed by leadership experts. Readers gain tools to address habits like reluctance to claim credit or avoidance of strategic risks, making it a practical resource for career development.

Key habits include:

• Reluctance to claim achievements (e.g., deflecting praise).
• Over-investing in expertise instead of leadership.
• Perfectionism that stifles risk-taking.
• Putting others’ needs first ("disease to please").

The "sticky floor" refers to invisible barriers keeping women in mid-level roles despite qualifications. Unlike the "glass ceiling," it highlights self-limiting behaviors and cultural biases that prevent advancement to executive positions.

• “We are often taught to hide our accomplishments, to wait for someone else to notice and praise us.”
• “The most powerful thing you can do for your career is to change what’s in your control.”

The authors urge women to prioritize impact over flawlessness, delegate tasks, and embrace strategic risks. Letting go of minor details fosters leadership agility and visibility.

While Lean In focuses on systemic barriers, How Women Rise targets internalized habits. It offers more tactical behavioral changes rather than broad cultural critiques, making it complementary to Sandberg’s work.

Some argue it overlooks structural inequality by emphasizing personal behavior shifts. However, the book balances this by acknowledging systemic issues while empowering women to control actionable changes.

It advises moving beyond “collecting contacts” to leveraging networks strategically. Women are encouraged to seek sponsors (not just mentors) and articulate their goals clearly.

Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in senior roles. The book’s focus on self-advocacy and redefining leadership styles aligns with evolving workplace dynamics, including remote work and AI-driven industries.

Helgesen’s 30+ years studying women’s leadership, paired with Marshall Goldsmith’s behavior-change frameworks, create a research-backed guide. Their collaboration merges gender-specific insights with proven coaching strategies.