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Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women JOHNSON, W. B. , AND D. SMITH. 2016. BROOKLINE, MA: BIBLIOMOTION. 212 PR
Athena Rising: How and Why Men Should Mentor Women is written for men, by men, as a guide to mentoring women. It provides background on and practical advice relating to the challenges of mentoring women while also making it clear that elevating women in the workplace is critical for the organizations in which we work. The authors, Johnson and Smith, describe it as a call for men to "lean in to the task of mentoring women," echoing Sandberg's (2013) call for women to lean in to their careers. The two men who wrote Athena Rising grounded it in the mentoring literature and interviews with 20 senior women in higher education, the military, and the corporate sector.
The book is in two parts: The first half provides background on women in the workplace, mentoring in general, and the challenges of male-female relationships; the second half translates this information into 46 practical tips and insights for men to consider as they mentor women in their organizations. The first chapter opens with a biographical sketch of Katie Higgins, a Navy captain and the first woman selected as a pilot for the Blue Angels, the renowned Navy flight demonstration squadron. The authors dub Higgins an "everyday Athena," a nod to the Greek goddess of arts, reason, wisdom, and war. They use the term throughout the book, encouraging men to search their organizations for "everyday Athenas" to mentor-women who approach their work lives with courage, wisdom, character, and promise.
Part I: Background Intel
Women are less likely to speak about and take credit for their accomplishments. A woman's attractiveness can undermine the perception that she is competent. Assertive and even aggressive men are rewarded at work while women must carefully decide each day where the line is between being assertive and abrasive. The early chapters of Athena Rising spell out facts like these that are quite obvious to those who identify as women. The authors present the information in a way that is accessible to men and others who are aware that these issues exist in the workplace but are not sure why or what they are supposed...