Lean Out audiobook cover - The Truth about Women, Power, and the Workplace

Lean Out

The Truth about Women, Power, and the Workplace

Marissa Orr

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Corporate CultureCareer & Success

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Lean Out
Critique of Corporate Feminism+
Why Women Actually Lean Out+
Revaluing Female Behaviors+
Fixing the Corporate System+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10
What is Marissa Orr's primary critique of corporate feminism, such as the advice found in Sheryl Sandberg's 'Lean In'?
  • A. It focuses too heavily on dismantling patriarchal power structures rather than individual success.
  • B. It encourages women to emulate the behaviors of alpha males rather than challenging the system.
  • C. It fails to address the lack of female mentorship programs in Fortune 500 companies.
  • D. It discourages women from speaking up and asking questions during meetings.
Question 2 of 10
According to the text, what is a major, often overlooked reason for the 'leadership ambition gap' where fewer women aspire to be CEOs?
  • A. Women lack the aggressive networking skills required for top-tier corporate jobs.
  • B. Women are statistically less interested in the financial rewards of executive positions.
  • C. Women shoulder a disproportionate amount of unpaid domestic work and childcare.
  • D. Women are actively discouraged by male executives from applying for promotions.
Question 3 of 10
How does the corporate world generally view 'typical' female behaviors, such as hesitating, apologizing, or asking questions?
  • A. As signs of deep, reflective confidence that should be promoted.
  • B. As evidence of a lack of confidence that needs to be stamped out.
  • C. As essential skills for building meaningful corporate alliances.
  • D. As biological traits that cannot be altered by corporate training.
Question 4 of 10
Based on a 2013 Washington University study mentioned in the text, how do men and women differ when a competitive element is introduced at work?
  • A. Women thrive in competitive environments, while men prefer to work alone.
  • B. Both men and women abandon collaboration entirely to focus on individual wins.
  • C. Women become highly transactional, while men focus on building long-term emotional bonds.
  • D. Men act more collaboratively to gain a personal win, while women are less willing to sacrifice relationships for personal victory.
Question 5 of 10
Why do women excel in academia but often struggle to reach the top of corporate America, according to the author?
  • A. Academia rewards actual competence and effort, while the corporate world often rewards the mere appearance of performance.
  • B. Academia is dominated by female leaders who favor female students, unlike the male-dominated corporate world.
  • C. Corporate America requires advanced degrees that most women choose not to pursue.
  • D. The corporate world relies heavily on standardized testing, which historically favors male applicants.
Question 6 of 10
What lesson does the book draw from the way US orchestras successfully closed their gender gap?
  • A. Implementing strict gender quotas is the fastest way to achieve parity.
  • B. Judging candidates solely on actual performance rather than impressions increases female representation.
  • C. Training women to be more assertive during auditions leads to higher hiring rates.
  • D. Providing specialized mentorship to female musicians helps them overcome performance anxiety.
Question 7 of 10
How does the book distinguish between the types of power preferred by men and women in the workplace?
  • A. Men prefer influence, while women prefer authority.
  • B. Men prefer authority, while women prefer influence.
  • C. Both men and women equally prefer authority, but women are denied access to it.
  • D. Men prefer financial power, while women prefer social power.
Question 8 of 10
What is the main takeaway from the Danish organ donor example?
  • A. Educational campaigns are the most effective way to change public behavior.
  • B. People must be financially incentivized to make choices that benefit society.
  • C. It is much easier to change the conditions people operate in than to change their behaviors.
  • D. Mandating behavior through strict laws is necessary for societal progress.
Question 9 of 10
According to Google's in-house research, what was the 'secret ingredient' of their best-performing teams?
  • A. A high concentration of assertive alpha leaders.
  • B. Strict adherence to corporate hierarchy and individual objectives.
  • C. Psychological safety that allowed employees to express themselves freely.
  • D. Individual performance bonuses tied to competitive metrics.
Question 10 of 10
Why does the author recommend that all employees 'negotiate like a woman'?
  • A. Because women are statistically more likely to demand higher starting salaries.
  • B. Because women are more subtle, strategic, and aim for win-win compromises.
  • C. Because women use more aggressive tactics that quickly intimidate opponents.
  • D. Because women are more likely to back down quickly, saving the company time.

Lean Out — Full Chapter Overview

Lean Out Summary & Overview

Lean Out (2019) is an impassioned critique of corporate feminism. Rather than “lean in” to the patriarchal structures and misogynistic systems of the corporate world, it suggests that women take a step back and stop trying to act like men in order to get ahead.

Who Should Listen to Lean Out?

  • Working women who are sick and tired of being told to “man up”;
  • Firms wondering why their top-tier employees all have a Y chromosome; and
  • Any employee who wants to do their bit for diversity.

 

About the Author: Marissa Orr

Marissa Orr has extensive firsthand experience of misguided corporate attempts to close the gender gap – she worked at Google and Facebook for 15 years, all while she was a single mother of three. Here, the tech industry veteran dissects where corporate feminism is failing women and pinpoints what corporations should really be doing to promote equality in the workplace.

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