Professional ambition is expected of men but is optional — or worse, sometimes even a negative — for women. “She is very ambitious” is not a complime… - Sheryl Sandberg

She is very ambitious” is not a compliment in our culture.

If we could get to a place of true equality, where what we do in life is determined not by gender but by our passions and interests, our companies would be more productive and our home lives not just better balanced but happier.

No wonder women don't negotiate as often as men. It's like trying to cross a minefield backward in high heels.

And in situations where a man and a woman each receive negative feedback, the woman's self-confidence and self-esteem drop to a much greater degree. The internalization of failure and the insecurity it breeds hurt future performance, so this pattern has serious long-term consequences.