Publishers Weekly
11/04/2019
A strong entry-level “but what now?” look at the #MeToo movement arrives from economist and consultant Hewlett. Making clear her personal stake in the issue of workplace harassment, Hewlett recounts how her early career was derailed when her boss’s boss groped and forcibly kissed her. She then takes readers through the #MeToo movement’s history, the available statistics on workplace harassment, and the financial impact on companies that harbor abusers. She has good news to report on #MeToo’s effect on industry; with the silence around harassment broken, norms are shifting. But the issue is far from resolved, she notes, as demonstrated by the stories of prominent “boomerang boys” who only endured temporary ostracism for their abusive actions. Setting out a full suite of possible responses, Hewlett tells plaintiffs to seek legal redress in court, rather than through arbitration, and advises corporate boards that zero-tolerance policies, though “not for the fainthearted,” are effective ways to carry out sweeping change. As such, it’s not immediately clear whether the primary intended audience for this otherwise well-explained guide consists of people who have suffered abuse or corporate board members trying to protect their bottom lines, but frustrated employees in need of ideas for actions to take will find some solid suggestions within. Agent: Molly Friedrich, Friedrich Agency. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
This is an eye-opening book. Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s compelling new data shows the scope and — Tiger Tyagarajan, CEO, Genpact
“Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s powerful new book explains how and why the #MeToo movement is challenging corporate America. Compelling, compassionate - and hard to put down - it makes the case that combating sexual misconduct and striving for inclusion are not only the just things to do, they are essential if organizations are to survive and thrive. Particularly valuable are Hewlett’s concrete action steps for individuals and corporations. This book will shape how leaders think about and deal with sexual misconduct for years to come.” — Hon. Barbara Jones, former judge in the US District Court for the Southern District and special counsel to the archdiocese of NY with regard to accusations of sexual abuse
"A bold and urgent call to action for individuals, leaders, and corporations on one of the most significant movements of our time. Hewlett presents a compelling business imperative and a range of solutions to ensure that meritocracy, equality, diversity, and inclusion are rigorously embedded within an institution’s culture." — Jyoti Chopra, senior vice president and chief diversity and sustainability officer, MGM Resorts International
“With this incredible addition to her oeuvre, Hewlett proves— again—that she belongs in the pantheon of thought leaders that drive transformational change, helping companies tackle the toughest challenges. She digs into the hardest layers of #MeToo to undercover hidden pockets of pain that don’t make the front pages.” — Todd Sears, CEO and founder, Out Leadership
“This is a brave and important book, filled with personal stories and rich data. Hewlett reveals that junior, white, straight women are far from being the only victims of sexual misconduct, and that power—not sexual desire—is at the root of the problem. Once you start reading this book, you won’t stop.” — Victoria Bateman, the Iain Macpherson Lecturer in Economics at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge University
“#MeToo in the Corporate World adds a critical dimension to conversations about sexual misconduct and gender equity. Hewlett documents how widespread the abuse of power is, the growing costs to employers, and the imperative for change. Now is the moment for corporations to take action.” — Lorraine Hariton, CEO and president, Catalyst
“Brave and powerful. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, the ‘mother’ of modern leadership theory, offers practical ways of dismantling the privilege that has kept diverse talent on the periphery. Her analysis of the objectification and sexual harassment of black men in the workplace, and the resulting shame and emasculation they suffer, is particularly prescient.” — India Gary-Martin, principal, Leadership for Life, and former managing director, JPMorgan Chase
India Gary-Martin
Brave and powerful. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, the ‘mother’ of modern leadership theory, offers practical ways of dismantling the privilege that has kept diverse talent on the periphery. Her analysis of the objectification and sexual harassment of black men in the workplace, and the resulting shame and emasculation they suffer, is particularly prescient.
Victoria Bateman
This is a brave and important book, filled with personal stories and rich data. Hewlett reveals that junior, white, straight women are far from being the only victims of sexual misconduct, and that power—not sexual desire—is at the root of the problem. Once you start reading this book, you won’t stop.
Lorraine Hariton
#MeToo in the Corporate World adds a critical dimension to conversations about sexual misconduct and gender equity. Hewlett documents how widespread the abuse of power is, the growing costs to employers, and the imperative for change. Now is the moment for corporations to take action.
Tiger Tyagarajan
This is an eye-opening book. Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s compelling new data shows the scope and
Jyoti Chopra
"A bold and urgent call to action for individuals, leaders, and corporations on one of the most significant movements of our time. Hewlett presents a compelling business imperative and a range of solutions to ensure that meritocracy, equality, diversity, and inclusion are rigorously embedded within an institution’s culture."
Todd Sears
With this incredible addition to her oeuvre, Hewlett proves— again—that she belongs in the pantheon of thought leaders that drive transformational change, helping companies tackle the toughest challenges. She digs into the hardest layers of #MeToo to undercover hidden pockets of pain that don’t make the front pages.
Library Journal
★ 01/01/2020
Hewlett (Forget a Mentor) discusses personal experiences with sexual assault and harassment in the workplace, finding it impossible to continue at a prior work environment and eventually switching to consulting. The book is based on Hewlett's cathartic experiences at a leadership conference, where the discussion was about sexual harassment in Silicon Valley. Through her think tank, Center for Talent Innovation, Hewlett researches legal remedies to protect employees. Reminding readers that a peer can be a predator, the author includes personal case studies and also covers how women of color and LGBTQ employees experience higher rates of harassment. Hewlett shares possible solutions involving corporate actions and legal measures in order to protect both employees and companies: establishing zero-tolerance rules, maintaining proactive measures, creating a speak-up culture, developing multiple reporting systems, and educating staff. VERDICT An informative book based on qualitative and quantitative analysis. The advice will benefit companies and organizations of all sizes.—Lucy Heckman, St. John's Univ. Lib., Queens Village, NY
Kirkus Reviews
2019-11-10
A veteran economist and corporate leader makes a significant contribution to the continuing shameful story of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Hewlett (The Sponsor Effect: How To Be a Better Leader by Investing in Others, 2019, etc.), CEO of an eponymous consulting firm, knows her subject well. In her early 20s, she was hounded out of a job with a "blue-chip" London consulting firm by a lascivious boss who had enormous power and would not take no for an answer. After discussing how the long-overdue pushback against sexual harassment gained steam with the revelations about Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, and others—including Donald Trump, who assumed the presidency "even after the media had revealed a long-running pattern of sexual harassment, including a recording in which he boasted of groping unwilling women"—Hewlett delivers a powerful assessment of "what the numbers tell us." The facts and numbers are staggering: More than one-third of women report having been harassed in the workplace at some point in their careers; Latina women and black women are the most frequently targeted groups; most predators are top-level executives; and the two industries in which harassment is most prevalent are media and technology. The author then takes on a relatively little discussed pool of data around the harassment of men, especially gay men, and executive women who have been guilty of sexual predation. Finally, Hewlett notes, the bonds of "stigma and silence" are being broken—e.g., in the military and on Wall Street. The author emphasizes that sexual harassment is all about power, and when it occurs at work, the entire workforce can suffer demoralization. Moreover, the legal expenses and enormous corporate settlements—for example, at Fox News, Google, and Goldman Sachs—along with the loss of key leaders and even bankruptcy are slamming the corporate world's bottom line, forcing a change in culture.
Hewlett is hard-hitting and concise, concluding with practical steps to shut down sexual misconduct in the workforce.
