Do you have imposter syndrome? A KPMG study found that 75% of high achieving women have reported having it. And, that figure rises to 85% in the US. As Jodi Cottle says in her book that is hug number, and she was on the list. So, she did a short course which turned into an MBA, which in turn gave her the confidence to speak up and back herself. She also promotes someone else’s book – John Kehoe’s Mind Power into the 21st Century. That helped too.
The aim of her book is to show women they aren’t alone, but this isn’t a fluffy story about how she became a multimillionaire at 40 by being a high-powered executive or start-up genius. She is neither of those.
Cottle deals with all the elephants in the room. She says that women experience being ‘mansplained’ to six times per week at work, that’s 312 times a year. There’s also ‘hepeating’ – when a woman suggests an idea, it is ignored, but then a man says the same thing and everyone loves it.
These two are bad but sexual harassment is far worse and she addresses this issue too. And, she is concerned that far too many women let it slip. Cottle says women have a choice and over time those choices can help change the unconscious societal biases that can become entrench in the workplace.
The Pocket MBA is all about empowering and helping women became leaders, and create happier, high-performing, and sustainable workplaces. The book is divided into four parts covering leading yourself, leading your people, leading your customers, and leading your business.
PQ rating: 5/5 We are giving this one our top rating. We really liked it and Cottle achieves so much in just 200 pages.
The Pocket MBA: A Woman’s Playbook for Succeeding in Business, by Jodi Cottle (Wiley £13.95)
