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FAIR SHARE: HOW MEN AND WOMEN CAN CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE WORKPLACE TOGETHER
W. Brad Johnson, PhD & David Smith PhD
Leveling the playing field—at home and at work.
The organization is broken. Decades of research show how women struggle to grow in their careers and move up into leadership positions, in part due to demands outside of work.
But it's not working for men either. Men want to be equal partners, present parents, and active community members outside of their careers. The "ideal worker" norms of the traditional workplace, though, expect men to be present and available 24/7. This disconnect means that even when men try to take part in flexible work arrangements, they're often stigmatized, leaving women to take up the slack and, again, miss out on professional opportunities.
If companies want to reach their full potential and achieve true fairness at work, the workplace must change—and it starts at the top. In this book, gender-in-the-workplace experts W. Brad Johnson and David G. Smith offer a blueprint for how leaders can break down systemic barriers across the organization, from culture to policies, so that men can do more outside of paid work—and women can take their place in leadership. They suggest three key areas to focus on:
Rethinking company culture and the structure of work
Going all-in on caregiving options and benefits for employees
Operationalizing gender fairness through organizational process and policies
Filled with examples and interviews with both men and women, Fair Share offers a look at what organizations can become when leaders finally break down the obstacles holding everyone back. By working together, men and women can create a better workplace, one where every individual can achieve what they want—at work and at home.
Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace
W. Brad Johnson, PhD & David Smith PhD
What’s missing from gender equality efforts? Men.
Women are at a disadvantage in the workplace, from unequal pay to sexual harassment to the inability to be promoted in a fair and timely manner. And while organizations are looking to fix the issue, too many gender inclusion initiatives focus exclusively on changing women, leaving men out of the equation. Such efforts reinforce the perception that these are “women’s issues” and that men—often the most powerful stakeholders in organizations—don’t need to be involved.
As gender in the workplace experts David G. Smith and W. Brad Johnson show in this crucial book, men have a profound opportunity to promote gender equality at work. Research shows that when men are deliberately engaged in gender inclusion programs, 96% of women in those organizations perceive real progress on gender equality, compared with only 30% of women in organizations without strong male engagement.
Good Guys is the first book to provide a research-based and practical guide for how to be a male ally to women in the workplace. Filled with first-hand accounts from both men and women and tips for getting started, this book shows how men can partner with women to advance women’s leadership by breaking ingrained gender stereotypes, overcoming unconscious biases, developing and supporting the talented women around them, and creating productive working relationships with women—especially in a post-#MeToo world.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING About Good Guys
Gold Medal Winner for Best Human Resources/Employee Training Book in the 2021 Axiom Business Book Awards
—Named one of the Globe & Mail's "Best Business Books of 2020"
—Named one of Behavioral Scientist's "Notable Books of 2020"
"…readers of all ranks and levels of leadership in the military will benefit from this important, timely, and welcome book on how to work with women and help them advance professionally."
— Proceedings magazine, U.S. Naval Institute
"As long as gender inequality is a "women's issue," men aren't going to feel any responsibility to fix it—and that has to change, write assistant sociology professor Smith and psychology professor Johnson (co-authors, Athena Rising) in this persuasive call to arms."
— Publisher's Weekly
"Men who care about gender equality often ask, 'How can I be a better colleague to the women I work with?' Good Guys is the playbook for how to do that, filled with practical advice and wisdom from leaders across many backgrounds. If you want to do your part to build a more equal and inclusive workplace, this book will help."
— Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook; founder, LeanIn.Org and OptionB.Org
"Thank you, David Smith and Brad Johnson, for giving us a practical, evidence-based guide for what men can—and must—do to support women at work, at home, and in our communities."
— Stew Friedman, organizational psychologist and Practice Professor of Management, Emeritus, The Wharton School; bestselling author, Total Leadership
"An amazing how-to book to pivot equality in our homes, offices, and societies. Smith and Johnson offer indispensable advice for how to achieve gender parity—both because it's the right thing to do and it's the smart thing to do."
—Dana Born, Codirector, Center for Public Leadership, and lecturer in public policy, Harvard Kennedy School
"Many men want to be better allies to women, but we aren't always sure where to begin. Look no further than this book by two excellent guides who draw on their expertise as social scientists, their experiences in organizations, and their interviews with women to show how we can all improve in our efforts to level the playing field."
— Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author, Give and Take and Originals; host of the TED podcast, WorkLife with Adam Grant
On being a mentor: a guide for higher education faculty, third edition
W. Brad Johnson, PhD & Kimberly A. Griffin, PhD
This third edition of the classic On Being a Mentor is the definitive guide to the art and science of engaging students and faculty in effective mentoring relationships in all academic disciplines.
Written for professors and academic leaders with pithy clarity, the text is rooted in the latest research on developmental relationships in higher educational settings and offers concrete mentoring strategies and best practices. On Being a Mentor is infused with an equity-minded approach, and challenges faculty to foster cultures and leverage developmental relationships that honor mentees’ identities to promote inclusion, equity, and belonging. The authors couple this call with evidence-based rules of engagement for mentoring―including both relational and career mentoring tactics―as well as methods for forming and managing these relationships. The authors provide mentors with a road map to being ethical and managing relationship problems, and leaders will gain insights into selecting and training mentors, assessing mentorship outcomes, and cultivating a mentoring culture.
Chock full of illustrative case-vignettes, reflection questions, and suggested readings, this book is the ideal guidebook for faculty and a comprehensive training tool for mentoring workshops. It will be a fantastic volume of reference for graduate students in colleges, universities, and professional schools in all academic fields including the social and behavioral sciences, education, natural sciences, humanities, and business, legal, and medical schools.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING About on being a mentor, third edition
“As many predict generative artificial intelligence will usher in an age of digital companions, Brad Johnson and Kimberly Griffin remind us of the centrality of real human relationships―authentic, honest, and deeply caring―to understanding ourselves and our purpose in a complex world. The research in this book demonstrates why mentoring and human relationships are – and always will be – at the very heart of what higher education should be about, and why time devoted to quality mentoring is so impactful and rewarding.”
—Peter Felten and Leo M. Lambert, Elon University, co-authors of Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Student Success
“This book is a brilliant resource for faculty as they embark on their journey in the academy and for experienced deans aiming to strengthen mentoring across higher education. The vibrant cases draw the reader into a variety of key situations, driving home why mentors need to develop a range of competencies, approach mentoring with an equity mindset, and consider the ethics of their behavior. A must read!”
—Becky Wai-Ling Packard, Mary E. Woolley Professor of Psychology and Education, Mount Holyoke College, US
“For nearly two decades, On Being a Mentor: A Guide for Faculty in Higher Education has guided academicians seeking to understand and enhance their mentoring relationships with students and peers. In this third edition, leading scholars Kimberly Griffin and Brad Johnson illuminate best practices in developmental relationships, with a focus on equity-based mentorship. On Being a Mentor: A Guide for Faculty in Higher Education is a crucial and empowering resource for faculty seeking to lift young scholars as they climb, creating a more inclusive future for higher education.”
—Richard J. Reddick, Senior Vice Provost and Dean of the Undergraduate College, Distinguished Service Professor, The University of Texas of Austin
“Mentoring is a high impact practice which few are formally prepared to do effectively. Brad Johnson and Kimberly Griffin combine their expertise to bring a refreshed treatise to this new edition of On Being a Mentor. Their synthesis of the scholarship and application of effective mentorship describes and prescribes evidence-based practices as well as policies that will promote mentoring excellence in higher education. For both new mentors and established mentors who want to elevate their mentoring, this is a must have book in your library.”
—Angela Byars-Winston, Chair of the Institute for Diversity Science and the Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison
ATHENA RISING: HOW AND WHY MEN SHOULD MENTOR WOMEN
W. Brad Johnson, PhD & David Smith PhD
Increasingly, new employees and junior members of any profession are encouraged—sometimes stridently—to “find a mentor!” Four decades of research reveals that the effects of mentorship can be profound and enduring; strong mentoring relationships have the capacity to transform individuals and entire organizations. Organizations that retain and promote top talent—both female and male—are more likely to thrive.
But the mentoring landscape is unequal. Evidence consistently shows that women face more barriers in securing mentorships than men, and when they do find a mentor, they may reap a narrower range of both career and psychological benefits. Athena Rising is a book for men about how to mentor women deliberately and effectively. It is a straightforward, no-nonsense manual for helping men of all institutions, organizations, and businesses to become excellent mentors to women.
Co-authors W. Brad Johnson, PhD, and David Smith, PhD, draw from extensive research and years of experience as experts in mentoring relationships and gender workplace issues. When a man mentors a woman, they explain, the relationship is often complicated by conventional gender roles and at times hostile external perceptions. Traditional notions of mentoring are often modeled on male-to-male relationships—the sort that begin on the golf course, involve a nearly exclusive focus on career achievement, and include more than a few slaps on the back over drinks after work. But women often report a desire for mentoring that integrates career and family aspects of life. Women want a mentor who not only “gets” this, but truly honors it.
Men need to fully appreciate just how crucial their support of promising junior women can be in helping them to persist, promote, and thrive in their vocations and organizations. As women succeed, lean in, and assume leading roles in any organization or work context, that culture will become more egalitarian, effective, and prone to retaining top talent.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING About Athena
"Athena Rising reminds us that when men lean in for equality, we all benefit. Brad Johnson and David Smith have written a powerful and practical guide for men on the steps that will make a big difference for organizations and for women."
—Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook and Founder of LeanIn.Org
“David Smith and Brad Johnson’s book captures precisely what Catalyst research has revealed for years: It’s a win-win solution when men take intentional action to serve as mentors and sponsors, helping to accelerate progress for women in the workplace. Leaders can no longer focus only on those who look like them; mentoring and developing all talent must become a core part of any organization’s leadership style. Through engaging insights from global leaders and practical tips for men, Smith and Johnson echo Catalyst’s long-standing point that when men are part of the solution—recognizing privilege and proactively championing gender equality within their organizations—that’s when real change can occur.”
—Deborah Gillis, President & Chief Executive Officer, Catalyst
“A definitive, practical guide for every man who wants to work more effectively with women. This is a book guys didn’t know we were waiting for, and it’s finally here!”
—Chuck Shelton, Chief Executive Officer, Greatheart Consulting
”Brad Johnson and David Smith have served up an exceptional treatise and handbook for male executives to learn how to become mentors to rising women of promise in all our organizations. Athena Rising is written in a captivating style while providing a practical, step by step mentoring implementation plan to advance female stars in the workplace. It should be a must read for male executive training.”
—Louis Freeh, Former Director, FBI
"Finally someone has tackled the central issue to women's advancement at work: why don't men champion female talent like they do for other men? Athena Rising answers that question and -- through story-telling and research -- inspires men to rethink reluctance and mentor for the good of their female colleagues, their companies, and, ultimately, themselves."
—Kat Gordon, Founder, The 3% Movement
”Women who have mentors are more likely to get promoted, and male mentors are key to advancement since men remain in the majority of leadership positions. Johnson’s and Smith’s manual for men on how to mentor women is especially relevant in light of a LeanIn.org study that finds one in six men are uncomfortable mentoring women after #MeToo.”
—Shelley Zalis, Forbes Women (Review)
what people are saying about the elements of mentoring
“This book represents a well-articulated approach to the principles of mentoring that is sure to be a landmark work. Jam-packed with exciting ideas, it highlights precisely why and how mentoring is undertaken in various workplace settings. The authors respond to the rapidly changing world of work by delivering an extraordinary range of tools and options for professionals who wish to be ethical, thoughtful teachers and coaches to their protégés. Well written and highly readable, it offers practical applications using exemplary case studies. This gem of a resource will aid the reader in understanding how to apply the mentoring microskills presented throughout. This is a must read for anyone who aspires to excellence as a leader and mentor.”
―Mary H. Guindon, School of Professional Studies in Business and Education, Johns Hopkins University
“Johnson and Ridley carefully explain the skills, attitudes and values that make for effective mentoring. In this useful guide, they point out what helps and what could hurt these developmental relationships. A must read for mentors and protégés alike. I recommend it highly”
―Winston E. Gooden, Ph.D., Dean, Fuller Graduate School of Psychology
“Johnson and Ridley have distilled the essence of how to be a successful mentor in a well written succinct compendium they accurately describe as the "nuts and bolts" of effectively advancing the careers of junior colleagues in a caring, yet rigorous manner. The advice contained here holds significant value across work sites and professions, and can benefit both potential mentors and those wishing to find a mentor. I recommend this book to anyone hoping to guide the next generation in their field or hoping to find such a guide.”
―Gerald P. Koocher, Professor and Dean, School for Health Studies, Simmons College
“The Elements of Mentoring is destined to become a classic due to its concise approach and timeless value in helping to create win-win situations for individuals committed to helping others achieve more. ...This excellent book has the potential to bring out your best: read it!”
―Leadership & Organization Development Journal
