Lean In

Sheryl Sandberg's 2013 book, written while she was Facebook's COO, argues that women systematically underestimate their own abilities, hold themselves back from pursuing opportunities, and leave the professional arena before they should. It combines personal narrative from Sandberg's own career at Google and Facebook with research on workplace gender dynamics and practical advice on negotiation, mentorship, and ambition.

Richard Branson lists Lean In on his 65 lifetime reading list on Virgin.com. For founders, Lean In is a leadership book about one specific decision that governs career trajectory: whether to take a risk before you feel ready. Sandberg's central observation — that women apply for jobs only when they meet 100% of the requirements while men apply when they meet 60% — is a frame about confidence asymmetry that applies beyond gender to any hiring, fundraising, or partnership decision a founder makes. The book is also a case study in managing a hypergrowth company from the number-two position: Sandberg describes how she navigated joining a company where the founder (Zuckerberg) was younger and more powerful, how she built an organization beneath herself rather than hoarding territory, and how she thought about her own seat at the table as something to expand rather than defend.