Melanie Ho - Beyond Leaning In: Gender Equity and What Organizations are Up Against

PRAISE FOR

Beyond Leaning In

A New Kind of Novel to Spark Discussion and Change

Melanie Hos book makes you stop and think. It is uniquea work-place novel with characters who feel real, authentic and genuine and who are confronting hard and difficult situations. As a reader, I was constantly stopping and thinking about new concepts, all of which are grounded in research, and asking myself how can I as a leader create a better work environment for women, but also for men.

Scott Schirmeier , President, Technology and Partner Development, EAB Global

In Beyond Leaning In , Ho creates unforgettable characters and a compelling plot that takes us beyond Lean In to surface the systemic obstacles working women face. This important book helps women see the real structural challenges they face. It also challenges employers to be partners in bringing about meaningful change.

Mary Papazian , President, San Jose State University

Melanie Ho has brought the challenging nuances of advancing gender leadership while running a highly effective organization into focus. We can relate to, commiserate with, and learn from her charactersin a way that is more accessible and, frankly, more human, than from a traditional leadership book or corporate equity and inclusion training.

Chris Proulx , Global Director, Humentum

A timely, readable, and powerfully important book for all leaders, especially now, when so many women are feeling pressure to re-evaluate their place in the corporate world, and even the workforce. If we cant find a way to create more inclusive workplaces to retain talented young women, we will all feel the consequences.

Melanie Bowen , Chief Operating Officer, Mindoula

I went into reading Beyond Leaning In skeptical of how different a novel would really be than an advice book. I was so wrong. I found myself unable to put Beyond Leaning In down, engrossed in the nuance, humanity, and depth of the characters and of its exploration of systemic inequity in the workplace. This book is both urgent and empatheticI learned so much about work culture and about myself from reading it. Im recommending it to everyone I know (and work with!).

Samantha Pinto , Associate Professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin

Beyond Leaning In is a page-turning novel with compelling characters and storylines. It also seamlessly weaves in authentic and timely examples of how much further we have to go when it comes to achieving true gender equity in the workplace. Its a must-read for anyone who aspires to be a leader, an ally, or simply wants a clearer sense of the hidden dynamics of professional life today.

John Hsu , Founder and Principal, NLN Solutions

Beyond Leaning In is a business book for the future. By weaving essential equity research and concepts into a page-turning novel, Melanie Ho gives us the perspective and understanding we need to be true champions for intersectional equity in our workplaces and beyond.

Veronica LaFemina , Managing Director, Strategy and Planning, American Diabetes Association

Beyond Leaning In is one of the best books I have come across addressing the challenging and complex issues of gender equity in workplaces. Each and every character brings to life issues that all of us can relate to in one form or another. The book can be used in college classrooms, HR departments, as well as boardrooms.

Jeet Joshee , Associate Vice President and Dean, California State University-Long Beach.

Beyond Leaning In is a cautionary tale, a mystery story, and a practical fable for our times. By turning the fictional setting of a company in trouble into a laboratory for nimbler, more equitable models of corporate culture, Melanie Ho delights and instructs, and what she teaches will make organizations stronger.

David Schaberg , Dean of Humanities, UCLA

Beyond Leaning In does an incredible job of showing the importance of intent vs. impact when it comes to workplace interactions and is an easily digestible way to comprehend some of the more nuanced issues around gender discrimination. It highlights well-intentioned but ultimately harmful choices that those in leadership can make. This book could easily be used in teams and among leadership to foster discussion on how to mitigate bias at work.

Rachel Murray , Co-CEO and Head of Community, She+ Geeks Out

Dr. Ho tells a story thats both captivating and mindset-shifting. Her books brisk plot meant that I couldnt wait to pick up the characters threads every morning. And as I read along, I found myself thinking differently about my work, my colleagues, and the role of gender in the office.

Jeff Martin , Senior Director, EAB Global

Beyond Leaning In truly goes beyond equity statistics and related annual reportsit paints a picture of real-life workplace dynamics, including gender equity, microaggressions and diversities you cannot see. From Board member to intern, its a necessary read.

Sydney Brown , Executive Coach and Corporate Consultant, S.E.B. Consulting

Melanie Hos use of a fictional workplace and all of the different perspectives of those who work there helps us to grasp the complexities of diversity, equity and inclusion. Competing interests, cultural forces, lack of awareness are all aspects that make changing attitudes and behavior such hard work. The story is so engaging and fascinating, I had a hard time putting it down.

Lynne Schaefer , Vice President, Administration and Finance, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Theres writing that is fun to read and writing that teaches you real, tactical things. The two types usually arent found on the same shelf, let alone in the same book. But this book is the rare exception. It helps you see the everyday ways in which inequity is alive and well in our workplaces (and, really, everywhere). Beyond making you aware of these patterns and practices that were all a part of, it also shares how to break out of them. And it does all of this by showing, not telling. You get rich, engaging (if infuriating) characters that feel all too real. To make any real, intentional progress on issues of inequity, we need to be willing to grapple with them. This book makes that tussle a little bit less daunting and a lot more enjoyable.

Karishma Furtrado , Founding Staff, Director of Data and Research, Forward through Ferguson

In Beyond Leaning In , we see Hos cast of characters emerge from a cloud of unconscious programming to humility and a desire to learn. Ho takes readers on a journey and asks us to flex our empathic muscles as we inevitably see parts of ourselves in each character. It beckons the question of not only Where did they learn this belief? but rather, When and where did I learn this?

Huong Diep , PsyD, ABPP, Board Certified Psychologist and International Consultant

BEYOND LEANING IN

Copyright 2021 by Melanie Ho

No part of this publication may be reproduced by photocopying, scanning, or any other means, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or published by any means, without prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. The novels characters, events, and organizations are wholly imaginary. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), events, or organizations is intended or should be inferred. This book is presented solely for educational purposes. The author and publisher are not offering it as legal, business, or other professional services advice. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be held liable or responsible to any person or entity with respect to any loss or incidental or consequential damages caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained herein.