Synopses & Reviews
Drawing from their own twelve-year partnership and from interviews with 125 women business partners across the world, Betsy Polk and Maggie Chotas have learned something powerful: when women work together, they discover a level of support, balance, confidence, and accountability and a freedom to be themselves that is rarely found in other work relationships. Heroic male partnerships are a staple business success story, but female partnerships rarely receive the same kind of attention. Power Through Partnership is a call for women to recognize and build on the inherent strengths that make them uniquely able to create successful trust-based professional relationships. Polk and Chotas demolish the myths that keep women from collaborating and then offer readers advice for handling potential challenges--like finding the best partner, dealing with conflict, facing fears, taking risks, and knowing when to let go of a partnership. Featuring lessons learned from women partners in all kinds of industries, this book shows that when women collaborate--combining complementary skills, pushing ego aside, and supporting each other--they can work as full equals to achieve something that's exponentially greater than the achievements of the two working alone.
Review
“Having been a part of a founding trio of women for nearly a decade now, I am often amazed when people express surprise that such a partnership exists—and has thrived for so many years. I’m gratified to see Betsy Polk and Maggie Ellis Chotas focus specifically on partnerships between women and explore their unique attributes and strengths. Shining a light on successful partnerships can only encourage more of such partnerships!”
—Elisa Camahort Page, cofounder and COO, BlogHer, Inc.
“In the midst of the heated debate between the stay-at-homes and the frantic-jugglers, the resentful who had to stop and the resentful who wish they could, Power through Partnership shines a light on an exciting option for women everywhere. In this thoughtful and thorough examination of the benefits of partnership, Betsy Polk and Maggie Ellis Chotas provide us with a blueprint for leveraging what women do best: working together.”
—Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, coauthors of The Nanny Diaries and business partners for thirteen years
“Need more flexibility in your life? More support? More inspiration? The solution is simple: find a business partner! Polk and Chotas have written a thoughtful and practical guide to forming and sustaining a partnership. As someone with a longtime writing partner (my brother!), I found myself nodding a lot as I read.”
—Dan Heath, coauthor of the New York Times bestsellers Made to Stick, Switch, and Decisive
“This is the book for every woman eager for a better way to work and lead. Through partnership, women are capitalizing on strengths and leveraging dynamic networks of sisters, friends, and colleagues to achieve success. Power through Partnership shows the way!”
—Joanna Strober, coauthor of Getting to 50/50 and CEO, Kurbo Health
“Business rhetoric is full of heroic soloists—but the deeper truth is that no business succeeds alone. The great success stories derive speed, spread, and impact from partnerships and alliances. This book is a critical contribution to the business story of the century: the rise of female entrepreneurship.”
—Margaret Heffernan, author of Willful Blindness and A Bigger Prize
Synopsis
WINNER OF THE 2015 SILVER MEDAL IPPY AWARD IN BUSINESS/CAREER/SALES
Betsy Polk and Maggie Chotas have learned something powerful: when women work together they discover a level of support, flexibility, confidence, accountability, and freedom to be themselves that they rarely find in other work relationships. Drawing on their own twelve-year partnership and from interviews with 125 women business partners, Polk and Chotas demolish the myths that keep women from collaborating and offer advice for handling a host of potential challenges. This groundbreaking book shows that when women team up--combining complementary skills, channeling their egos into the partnership, and encouraging each other--they can work as full equals to achieve something that's exponentially greater than each woman alone.
Synopsis
Betsy Polk and Maggie Chotas have learned something powerful: when women work together they discover a level of support, flexibility, confidence, accountability, and freedom to be themselves that they rarely find in other work relationships. Drawing on their own twelve-year partnership and from interviews with 125 women business partners, Polk and Chotas demolish the myths that keep women from collaborating and offer advice for handling a host of potential challenges. This groundbreaking book shows that when women team up--combining complementary skills, channeling their egos into the partnership, and encouraging each other--they can work as full equals to achieve something that's exponentially greater than each woman alone.
About the Author
Betsy Polk, cofounder of Mulberry Partners, is a facilitator, mediator, and board certified coach who helps organizations, teams, and individuals develop strategies that strengthen collaboration, improve communication, resolve conflict, and achieve goals.Maggie Ellis Chotas, cofounder of Mulberry Partners, is a facilitator and leadership coach who started her career as a middle school teacher and has served as director and consultant for public and independent schools in Philadelphia, New York City, Charlotte, and Durham, NC.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Out From Under the Radar
Chapter 1: Why Partnership Works for Women
Chapter 2: What Does Being Women Have to Do with It?
Chapter 3: Debunking the Myths
Chapter 4: Searching for Partners
Chapter 5: Preparing for Risks
Chapter 6: Leveraging Conflict
Chapter 7: The Rubber Band Theory
Notes
Acknowledgments
List of Partners Profiled in this Book
About the Authors
About Mulberry Partners