The Myth Of The Nice Girl: Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming a Person You Hate

Fran Hauser

HarperCollins, Apr 17, 2018 - Business & Economics - 288 pages

An Amazon Best Business Book of 2018

Selected by Audible as the Best Business Book of 2018

Named “Best New Book” by People Magazine and Refinery29

Named a Most Anticipated Title of April 2018 by Bustle and Levo

A Women@Forbes “Boss Moves Book Club” pick

A candid guide for ambitious women who want to succeed without losing themselves in the process

Fran Hauser deconstructs the negative perception of "niceness" that many women struggle with in the business world. In this guide offering essential career advice for women, she tackles a common double-bind: If women are nice, they are seen as weak and ineffective, but if they are tough, they are labeled a bitch.

Hauser proves that women don’t have to sacrifice their values or hide their authentic personalities to be successful. Sharing a wealth of personal anecdotes and time-tested strategies, she provides a roadmap for authentic leadership. She shows women how to reclaim “nice” and sidestep regressive stereotypes about what a strong leader looks like. Her accessible advice and hard-won wisdom detail how to improve workplace communication, balance being empathetic with being decisive, rise above the double standards that can box you in, and cultivate authentic confidence that projects throughout a room.

THE MYTH OF THE NICE GIRL is a refreshing dose of forward-looking feminism that will resonate with smart, professional women who know what they want and are looking for a guide to professional development that takes their career to the next level without losing themselves in the process.

How can ambitious women climb the ladder without sacrificing who they are?

• Develop Leadership Skills: Learn to be both empathetic and decisive, sidestepping the regressive stereotypes that can hold women back from the corner office.
• Speak Up Assertively: Find your voice and contribute with confidence in meetings, give feedback that gets results, and handle difficult conversations with grace.
• Negotiate with Confidence: Secure the salary, title, and opportunities you deserve by negotiating with a strategy rooted in both empathy and strength.
• Set Healthy Boundaries: Protect your time and energy to focus on what truly matters, learning how to say "no" kindly so you can say "yes" to your biggest career goals.

Contents

• 1 Nice Is Your Superpower: 1
• 2 Be Ambitious and Likeable: 19
• 3 Speak Up Assertively and Nicely: 41
• 4 Give Feedback Directly and Kindly: 66
• 5 Make Decisions Firmly and Collaboratively: 87
• 6 Negotiate with Strategy and Empathy: 109
• 7 Invest in Yourself and Be a Team Player: 129
• 8 Set Boundaries and Be Caring: 151
• 9 Multiply Your Superpower: 170
• Back Matter: 190
• Back Flap: 209
• Back Cover: 210
• Spine: 211

About the author

FRAN HAUSER is a long-time media executive, startup investor and celebrated champion of women and girls. She's held senior positions at some of the world’s largest digital media businesses, including Time Inc.'s People, InStyle and Entertainment Weekly as well as Moviefone and AOL. Now an angel investor who largely invests in female founders, Fran was named one of Refinery29’s “6 Most Powerful Women in NYC’s Tech Scene,” and has been featured by CNBC, Forbes, Vogue.com, Ad Age, and more.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Myth Of The Nice Girl: Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming a Person You Hate
• Author: Fran Hauser
• Publisher: HarperCollins, 2018
• ISBN: 132883297X, 9781328832979
• Length: 288 pages
• Subjects: Business & Economics / Business Communication / General; Business & Economics / Careers / General; Business & Economics / Leadership; Business & Economics / Motivational; Business & Economics / Personal Success; Business & Economics / Women in Business; Business & Economics / Workplace Culture; Self-Help / Personal Growth / Success; Social Science / Feminism & Feminist Theory