Sprunt - A guide for dual-career couples rewriting the rules

The revolution wrought by working women has altered forever how couples make choices and share their future. Yet resources for navigating this complex terrain have been few. Eve Sprunts excellent, clear, well-organized book provides dual-career couples with an essential guide while showing organizations how to benefit from a trend thats here to stay.

Sally Helgesen, Author, The Female Vision,
The Female Advantage, The Web of Inclusion

As a female trailblazer in the petroleum industry and a scientist who is expert in analyzing data, Dr. Sprunt knew just the right questions to ask and brilliantly analyzed thousands of responses she received from dual-career couples. This very accessible book is a must read not only for career women and their spouses, but also for employers and anyone genuinely concerned about gender equity.

Rosalind S. Simson, Associate Professor of Philosophy,
Womens and Gender Studies Affiliated Faculty,
Mercer University

Finally a book targeting the key career management issue for women and millennials. No, its not child care, its pursuing both mostly equal careers. Executives should pay attention to manage and retain post-baby boom talent.

Janeen Judah, 2017 President,
Society of Petroleum Engineers

The definitive handbook for both men and women looking to pursue a dual-career lifestyle. Just like its author, this guide is practical and innovative with a strong dose of realism. Every couple trying to define personal success in todays 24/7 workplace will find valuable take-aways to help juggle their roles as professionals, partners, and parents.

Janet Bandows Koster, Executive Director and CEO,
Association for Women in Science

The challenge of work and life integration is real for all types of employees, but this challenge is especially intense for women in corporate roles that offer little flexibility to support personal demands. But creating this integration requires a partnership of men, women and employers. Dr. Sprunts research and years of real-world experience provide prospective and practical solutions through an industry-focused lens. Extremely useful for anyone juggling work and family!

Karen Horting, Executive Director & CEO,
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

Eve addresses a very important and seldom approached aspect of our modern society: the hurdles, barriers and socio-psychological difficulties faced by dual-career couples. There is a constant battle in ones life, primarily in the life of a parent, to juggle with work commitments, career prospects and family life. Eves book addresses these uncomfortable issues in a highly pragmatic and well-researched manner, providing potential solutions for both couples and employers on how to address such issues.

Ella Minty, Founding Chartered Public Relations
Practitioner, The Chartered Institute of
Public Relations, United Kingdom

Sprunt has lived the cultural revolution that has led to an ever-increasing number of dual-career couples facing the challenges of finding a work-life balance. With clear, concise language backed by data, Ms. Sprunt draws on a wealth of experience to provide compelling arguments and sound advice. Dual-career couples just entering professional life, as well as well-seasoned managers, will gain valuable insight from this book.

John H. Bradford, President, Society of Exploration
Geophysicists and Professor, Boise State University

Eve Sprunt offers valuable, original insights in this must-read book, which provides abundant information, practical findings, and important recommendations on how to successfully cope with the challenges facing dual-career couples.

Giovanni Paccaloni, President, Paccaloni
Consulting International, Italy

This work has great value for working couples who are engaged in dual careers. The data analysis and experiential knowledge provide useful guidance in setting objectives and making choices.

William L. Abriel, Owner, Orinda Geophysical

Simple to read and full of smart and practical advice that empowers dual-career couples to surmount challenges and have rewarding and successful careers.

Maria A. Capello, Senior Advisor in
Kuwait Oil Company, Kuwait

This ground-breaking book addresses an important problem that is increasingly affecting men and women around the world who have globetrotting careers. The author touches on issues both from a personal and a professional standpoint with great attention, sensibility and an outstanding understanding of both business and human needs.

Loris Tealdi, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Italy

A must read as a dual-career working woman I found the list of questions for couples inspiring.

Dr. Tammy Wong, CEO, Fostering Executive
Leadership, Inc.; Author of The Hour Glass
Effect, Leveraging Female Talent for Your
Competitive Advantage

Give this book to your daughter its a roadmap for how to have both a career and a life.

Harbo Jensen, loving father, Chevron Vice President,
and MIT Trustee

A must read for anyone looking to navigate the career and life lattice. Provides great insight on how to make dual careers work both at the office and at home.

Katie Mehnert, CEO and Founder, Pink Petro

Rewriting the Rules

Eve Sprunt, PhD

Copyright 2016 by Eve Sprunt

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Sprunt, Eve, author.
Title: A guide for dual-career couples : rewriting the rules / Eve Sprunt, PhD.
Description: Santa Barbara, Calif. : Praeger, [2016] | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015051216 | ISBN 9781440850097 (alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781440850103 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Dual-career families. | Work and family. | Marriage. | Career
development.
Classification: LCC HD4904.25 .S676 2016 | DDC 650.1085dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015051216

ISBN: 978-1-4408-5009-7

EISBN: 978-1-4408-5010-3

201918171612345

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To my grandchildren,
Viola Sprunt, Rosalyn Sprunt,
Scarlet Broeker, and Quinn Broeker

When I was completing my PhD in geophysics at Stanford University in 1976, I thought my biggest challenge was coordination of two careers. My husband needed two years to complete Stanfords combined JD and MBA program. To solve my short-term challenge, I arranged to continue at Stanford as a research associate. I wasnt concerned about the implications of the fact that I was the first woman to receive a PhD in geophysics from Stanford (January 1977). Naively, I thought that gender discrimination was no longer a problem.