We need to talk about "ambition"
Welcome to the second full installment of "The latest in moms and work" newsletter!
This week, we need to talk about...
“Ambition.”
The age old adage says that there are two types of people in this world: those who work to live, and those who live to work. Ask yourself: which camp did you fall into prior to Covid? Which camp are you in now?
I’ve always considered myself a “live to work” kinda gal. I wore my girlboss badge proudly. I started an entire organization to empower women and girls to take over the tech workforce. But after two years of a global pandemic, even I am re-examining my relationship with “ambition.”
I love this New York Times Magazine piece from Noreen Malone: “The Age of Anti-Ambition.” It hits on so many themes a lot of us are experiencing in our own lives right now: disconnection not just from our offices and coworkers, but also the very substance of our work.
It's also a very thorough look at what many are calling “The Great Resignation.” There's no single explanation for what's causing people to leave their jobs (although for many women "quitters" it's a combination of burnout and lack of childcare.) But we can’t deny that whatever the reason, Americans are by and large re-examining the role of work in their lives.
For me, while I was once "ambitious" in the more traditional sense — my ambition now is to seize on the energy of this moment to fundamentally change what work looks like in our society, so that women don't have to choose between their happiness and their career aspirations.
What do you think of the article? Is the era of toxic ambition officially over? How has your own relationship with work changed these past two years?
Mom hero/ally of the week
While I very much look forward to the day that dads taking paternity leave is no longer newsworthy, Twitter’s new CEO taking paternity leave is certainly worth recognizing. Parag Agrawal (who’s also the executive sponsor of Twitter’s internal parents’ community) announced his plan to take “a few weeks” of parental leave at an all-hands meeting last week. Like Alexis Ohanian, Parag is modeling what it means to be a dad ally both in the home and in the workplace. After all, there’s no shortage of studies confirming that paternity leave benefits everyone, including dads. Bravo to Parag and all dads doing their part to end the stigma around paternity leave!
What can you do this week to change the future of moms and work?
solution builder, social entrepreneur
2 年I believe that after 2 years of Covid people are looking for their renewed balance. I know I am - I used to be "a live to work kinda gal" as Reshma pointed out, BUT something shifted in me during the pandemic. And just moving onwards as before has become a too big of a settlement to make. I wish for a workforce change where: kicking a** on a daily basis, brining all you can professionally, resonates with your whole - your home partner and kids. And not be subjected to feeling you have to sacrifice one on account of the other. If the discussion will focus on how to solve this dilemma I'll be sure to connect all my resources to support it.
Director of Marketing and Communications, Pelotonia
2 年I sure hope that the era of toxic ambition is over. I am glad to see that at least more conversations are happening, bringing family life more visible in the workplace - and people challenging what workplaces have always been like. I do like the optimism also called out in the article and this line "The meaning that they once found in work is now found in trying to make the workplace itself better." This article is very interesting as it seems like maybe we are in a new era. It's definitely nuanced as to why, and I will be intrigued to see where we are as a working society a couple years from now.
Trainee
2 年" From toxic to mindful Masculinity " - Today's Men status : just a reminder Ms. Saujani.
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2 年Amazing Reshma Saujani