The book, Her Place at the Table: A Woman\u27s Guide to Negotiating Five Key Challenges to Leadership Success, discussed the challenges women still face as they transition to leadership positions. According to the authors,  with their numbers exceeding 50%, women are well represented in the middle ranks of management and the professions, yet, today they hold less than I % of the top leadership positions  (p. 2). The lack of women in these positions is attributed in part to research demonstrating that women lack  the presumption of credibility and competence when she takes on a leadership role  (p. 3). Because of this perception, many of the women who are given leadership opportunities do not succeed, further reinforcing the stereotypes that may limit women\u27s appointment to executive level positions

Davenport, Susan C.

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Journal of Women in Educational Leadership Educational Administration, Department of
7-2006
Review of Her Place at the Table: A Woman's Guide to
Negotiating Five Key Challenges to Leadership Success
by D. M. Kolb, J. Williams, and C. Frohlinger
Susan C. Davenport
Thomas Edison State College, sdavenport@tesc.edu
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Davenport, Susan C., "Review of Her Place at the Table: A Woman's Guide to Negotiating Five Key Challenges to Leadership Success by D.
M. Kolb, J. Williams, and C. Frohlinger" (2006). Journal of Women in Educational Leadership. 192.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/jwel/192
Book Review 
Kolb, D. M., Williams, J., & Frohlinger, C. (2004). Her place at the 
table: A woman's guide to negotiating five key challenges to 
leadership success. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 
Susan C. Davenport 
Introduction 
The book, Her Place at the Table: A Woman's Guide to Negotiating Five 
Key Challenges to Leadership Success, discussed the challenges women still 
face as they transition to leadership positions. According to the authors, 
"with their numbers exceeding 50%, women are well represented in the 
middle ranks of management and the professions, yet, today they hold less 
than I % of the top leadership positions" (p. 2). The lack of women in these 
positions is attributed in part to research demonstrating that women lack "the 
presumption of credibility and competence when she takes on a leadership 
role" (p. 3). Because of this perception, many of the women who are given 
leadership opportunities do not succeed, further reinforcing the stereotypes 
that may limit women's appointment to executive level positions. 
Overview 
The authors provide concrete information and examples of how women can 
overcome challenges when embarking on a new leadership role. They 
describe four tests women leaders can encounter when entering into 
leadership positions. These are the token test, the double bind test, the fitness 
test, and the right stuff test, and women should be ready to pass these tests 
before they can successfully lead in their organization. 
In the token test, the authors state, individuals in the organization may 
not believe that a woman has earned an appointment, but rather was given it 
based on her gender. "To pass the token test, you need to be clear on why 
you were selected for the role and what you bring to the table" (p. 5). 
The double-bind test asks, "Can a woman be both a woman and a 
leader?" The authors state, there is an expectation for women to enact male 
characteristics of leadership, but must do it in a feminine way in order to be 
perceived as authentic. 
52 Journal o/Women in Educational Leadership, Vol. 4, No.3-July 2006 
ISSN: 1541-6224 ©2003 Pro>Active Publications 
Susan C. Davenport 53 
About the Author 
Susan C. Davenport is the Vice Provost for Learner Services at Thomas 
Edison State College, 101 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08608, 
Email: sdavenport@tesc.edu. 
The fitness test is described as the process women go through as their 
colleagues determine if they have the right experience for the job. "Passing 
the fitness test means recognizing that nobody is a perfect match for a 
leadership role in a rapidly changing global environment" (p. 9). 
Finally, the right stuff test requires a woman to convince her colleagues 
that she has what it takes to be a leader. Because women are less likely to 
have visible accomplishments and are less likely to have profit and loss 
accountability in their prior roles, women must prove their worth early on in 
their tenure. 
Kolb, Williams, and Frohlinger provide concrete advice on how to 
confront and pass these tests. They interviewed more than 100 women. Half 
of the women were in their first leadership position and the other half were 
about to take a role with increased responsibilities. The women were diverse 
in age and ethnicity, but the sample was not scientific. The sample was 
drawn from both the private and public sectors. Through their research, five 
key challenges emerged. The book dedicated a chapter to each of these 
challenges. First, they outlined common traps found for each challenge, and 
then explored strategies to use to respond to each challenge. A case study of 
a leader using these strategies was described as a guide to help individuals 
get ready to address these challenges in their own work. 
The advice was designed not only for individuals, but for "organizations 
committed to moving women into leadership positions ... as it is critical that 
top management realize the part visible support plays in the process of 
'proving up'" (p. 15). The book concluded with two appendices: 
Appendix A-a roadmap to the challenges for individuals, and 
Appendix B-an outline of what organizations can do to give an 
organizational response to the common traps described by the authors. The 
organizational piece is critical since women cannot stand alone in resolving 
these challenges. Organizational leaders are critical change agents in making 
the climate more accepting of women in leadership positions (Yoder, 200 I). 
The five challenges outlined by the authors were: 
• Intelligence-Women leaders need to have the right information to 
make good decisions. 
54 Susan C. Davenport 
• Backing of key players-Women leaders need support from others to 
succeed. 
• Resources-The credibility of women leaders is dependent on the 
ability to procure resources. 
• Buy-in-Women leaders' success is dependent on support from their 
peers as well as their direct reports. 
• Making a difference-Women leaders cannot make a difference 
unless their contributions to the organization are recognized. 
In the first challenge, the authors stated, women must get enough 
information about a position to make an informed decision in determining 
not only if it is the right fit for her, but in determining what resources need to 
be negotiated for prior to accepting the position in order to be successful. The 
first trap that women faced was the belief that they will be judged solely on 
how well they perform. This, however, is not always the case, and new 
leaders must learn about the organization's underlying values and culture. 
The next trap occurred when women disregard the negative information they 
learn because they do not want to pass up a great opportunity. "Rather than 
ignore or suppress the bad news, let that bad news contribute to an informed 
decision and provide the foundation for some serious negotiations" (p. 23). 
The third trap is the optimism a woman leader might feel about the 
challenge ahead of her. Although this optimism will help her, it may impede 
negotiations if she feels she "can tip the odds in her favor by sheer will and 
energy" (p. 23). Finally, new leaders are often given new responsibilities 
when they do not feel they have a choice but to accept. In these cases, 
women still must negotiate what they need to be successful. 
Therefore, in order to gain enough information to make an informed 
decision, the authors described four strategic moves. The first is to tap into 
networks. It is important to use both internal and external sources to get 
multiple perspectives on the situation. Women also should begin building 
relationships with individuals within the organization to test how well you 
will work together. If there is confusion or conflicting information presented, 
it should be pursued, not ignored. Finally, women leaders need to anticipate 
blockers in the organizations. By identifying the individuals in the 
organization who are not in favor of your appointment, women can begin to 
develop a strategy for dealing with them. 
In Chapter 2, the authors described the second challenge: mobilizing 
backers who will provide critical support during the transition period. In the 
authors' informal research, they found that 68% of women believed they 
were not expected to succeed in their new role, and that one third of them 
were surprised by the close scrutiny their ability to lead received. The authors 
Susan C. Davenport 55 
tell of a paradox new leaders can face. "In order to lead, they first have to be 
perceived to have the authority to lead" (p. 62). Because leaders must deliver 
results quickly, they also must garner support from key leaders within the 
organization so that they are in a position to perform. 
Common traps for this challenge included leaders believing that their 
appointment speaks for itself. However, according to the authors, all new 
leaders benefit from a credible introduction. Women also can believe that 
their results are most important and will speak for themselves. This is 
dangerous, however, because results often lag significantly behind efforts 
and are not always immediately visible. Perceptions of performance are 
important, especially in the early stages and must be worked at along with 
one's actual performance. Finally, women believed that asking for help will 
make them seem weak both to the backer and to their colleagues. However, 
asking for help can help build future relationships. 
To avoid these traps, new leaders need to negotiate their backing from 
key leaders prior to beginning their position. They should secure 
responsibilities that are results-oriented, visible and signal authority. Then, 
key leaders should make the case throughout the organization as to why their 
new leader was the best person to move the organization forward. Allies 
within the organization can then spread good stories that will help shape 
perceptions and win over skeptics. Yoder (2001) found this in her research, 
as well, and stated that, "organizations need not to only enhance women's 
abilities by offering them training, but also to make group members aware of 
women's expertise by openly legitimizing them" (p. 822). 
In Chapter 3, the authors discussed the third challenge: garnering 
resources by negotiating key alliances. "Resources-be they financial, 
human, or simply time-are necessary on a purely practical level. You need 
them to get the work done" (p. Ill). It was critical for leaders to negotiate 
for these resources early in their tenure. Common traps included the belief 
that "I can pick up the slack." However, if women succeed in achieving goals 
with the resources allotted, later failure will be attributed to lack of effort 
rather than insufficient resources. Another trap is the admirable goal of 
controlling costs. Although the importance of controlling costs was 
recognized, resources were described as a symbol of influence and inability 
to secure them can be taken as an inability to execute plans. 
Strategies that can avoid these traps included aligning resource requests 
to strategic objectives. The authors stressed the importance of linking the 
new leader's agenda with the organization's stated priorities. In addition, 
leaders should appeal to others in the organization who could benefit to assist 
in both securing resources and in helping the project to succeed. Finally, 
56 Susan C. Davenport 
leaders need to leverage their successes. By showing small successes, leaders 
can pave the way for additional resources. 
Resources detennine to a large extent, what you can accomplish in a new 
assignment. But their impact is felt on two distinct levels: First is the 
practical, where trade-offs must be made between capacity and investment, 
between inputs and outcomes. But resources also carry symbolic weight. 
They are prime indicators of what an organization thinks important and who 
can be trusted to exercise judgment and leadership. (p. 144) 
This is echoed by Yoder (2001) who stated that "having resources, both 
material and supportive, enhances women's effectiveness. Thus, 
organizations may expand women's power base by supplying leaders with 
the resources necessary to reward and help others" (p. 821). 
In Chapter 4, the authors described strategies for negotiating buy-in from 
internal stakeholders. "To get peers and subordinates to put their weight 
behind a change agenda, you must first convince them that you can lead them 
through it successfully. You have to engage them on the agenda" (p. 151). 
The authors described the first trap as "I know what I am doing is the 
right thing to do." However, if the team does not feel that their voice has 
been heard when they voice objections, it can lead to the next trap of the new 
leader feeling that the ownership of solving a problem is all their own. 
Failure to bring in the team to help fosters mistrust. It also can lead to missed 
opportunities for resolution. Another trap is too much reliance on the support 
of senior management rather than fostering support from subordinates. 
Finally, the trap avoidance of issues in the short-run can allow resisters and 
blockers to gain traction and jeopardize long-term success. 
Strategic moves discussed by the authors included listening to the team 
and to peers across the organization. This can lead to broad links across an 
organization that can move a new leader's agenda and help their team to feel 
less isolated. New leaders should also work to solve nagging problems in the 
organization so that the team has concrete examples of how new changes 
have helped them within the organization. Finally, leaders need to create 
opportunities for themselves and their team to learn. By encouraging 
dialogue, taking chances and giving team members opportunities for new 
skills, buy-in will be smoother and more lasting. 
Finally, in Chapter 5, the authors discuss the last challenge: making a 
difference. "Women want to make a difference. To do this their contributions 
have to be recognized and their value then becomes visible to others" (p. 15). 
Common traps in achieving this strategy included needing more expertise in 
an area, believing that performance speaks for itself, instead of understanding 
the need to call attention to successes, and setting the bar too high on their 
Susan C. Davenport 57 
expectations of success. Women need to believe in themselves first, and set 
reachable goals. 
Strategies to avoid these traps included looking for opportunities within 
the organization's priorities where leaders can show incremental wins. Also, 
leaders should look to fill unmet needs and should make their value visible to 
the team. "By being seen as a leader who is trying new things, who has a 
vision for how work can be done, you make your value visible" (p. 232). 
Discussion 
The authors do a good job in providing pragmatic advice for women about to 
begin or aspiring to executive leadership positions. Although they 
acknowledge that it is unfair to women to be faced with these five 
challenges, they focus their attention on how to work within the system 
rather than change it. They do, however, challenge organizations to recognize 
the challenges so that organizational leaders can help women succeed. 
Sometimes, the advice presented in the book is contradictory. Although 
organizations benefit from a feminine leadership style, women can be 
penalized for being too feminine. However, women can't be too masculine or 
they risks being blocked and their efforts resisted. Yoder (200 I) 
acknowledged that this challenge is present in the research on women in 
leadership as well, and stated that "what emerges in scholarship on 
leadership may appear contradictory at times, arguing that women should do 
one thing as well as the opposite." The authors were aware of the dilemma, 
but their advice seemed difficult to execute while maintaining one's sense of 
self. For example, in describing the double-bind test, the authors advised 
women to "enact the 'masculine' requirements of leadership but in an 
authentic way that draws on 'feminine' abilities" (p. 7). 
The case studies presented to highlight what to do and what not to do in 
each challenge assist the reader in applying the advice to actual work 
situations. Some, however, serve as a cautionary tale of what not to do, and 
there is no advice for women on how to salvage a leadership opportunity if a 
common trap has not been avoided. Readers who realize that they have not 
negotiated the challenges well in their current position may feel that their 
best option is to move to a new position and try again. 
Although the focus of the book is on corporate leadership, educational 
administrators were included in the sample. The advice is clearly transferable 
to the educational arena and a helpful road map as women begin to prepare 
for their next opportunity. Although the gender gap in educational is not as 
great as within the corporate world, there is still great disparity. In higher 
education, according to Tenenbaum (2000), only 20% of college presidents 
58 Susan C. Davenport 
are women. In the K-12 arena, 75% of education degrees are earned by 
women, but only 35% of principals and 12% of superintendents are women. 
Educational administrators, then, can take advantage of both the advice for 
their own personal advancement and incorporate the organizational solutions 
in their own workplace. The advantages for the educational organization are 
great. While discussing the higher education gender gap, Chliwniak (1997) 
discussed the advantages of increased female leadership and stated that 
several scholars contend that a leader with an emerging, inclusive style of 
leadership could provide an institution with new values and ethics grounded 
in cooperation, community and relationships within the community. Higher 
education's leadership also needs to become more reflective of the 
constituents it serves. (p. 3) 
Conclusion 
In conclusion, Her Place at the Table: A Woman's Guide to Negotiating Five 
Key Challenges to Leadership Success provided sound advice for middle 
managers looking to move to executive leadership positions. The book also is 
useful for organizations looking for ways to change their climate to one 
where women leaders are more likely to succeed. The authors acknowledged 
that more women are needed at the leadership table, and that through no fault 
of women, they continue to experience challenges based solely on their 
gender. The authors acknowledge that "doing leadership differs for women 
and men and that leadership does not take place in a genderless vacuum" 
(Yoder, 2001). The case studies brought to life the challenges women face 
and the strategies women can employ to overcome them. I recommend it 
highly for educational administrators to use for their own professional 
growth as well to help affect change in their organizations. 
References 
Chliwniak, L. (1997). Higher education leadership: Analyzing the gender gap. ERIC digest. Retrieved 
from www.ericdigest.orglI998-lIgap.htm. 
Tenenbaum, T. (2000). Boys club. Connection: New England's Journal of Higher Education & Economic 
Development 15(2),32-35. 
Yoder, 1. D. (2001). Making leadership work more effectively for women. Journal of Social Issues. 57(4), 
815-828. 


Review of \u3ci\u3eHer Place at the Table: A Woman\u27s Guide to Negotiating Five Key Challenges to Leadership Success\u3c/i\u3e by D. M. Kolb, J. Williams, and C. Frohlinger

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Review of \u3ci\u3eHer Place at the Table: A Woman\u27s Guide to Negotiating Five Key Challenges to Leadership Success\u3c/i\u3e by D. M. Kolb, J. Williams, and C. Frohlinger

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