Sheryl Sandberg's Non-Negotiables

I believe one of Sheryl Sandberg’s non-negotiables as a leader is that she expects her employees/colleagues to “lean in” or be present and not to sit on the sidelines waiting for opportunities to come their way. “Whenever I meet with partners today, I feel empowered to voice my thoughts with a sense of purpose” (Leffler, 2016). This empowerment was realized at the start of Libby Leffler’s opportunity to work with Sheryl Sandberg in 2011. Sheryl had invited Libby to a meeting with Facebook partners so Libby had spent a great deal of time preparing for the meeting. When they entered the room and everyone sat around the table, Libby realized that there were not enough seats around the table to instead of squeezing in between two people, she sat in an empty seat along the wall. After the meeting, Sheryl talked to Libby about her seat choice. Sheryl urged Lilly to “lean in,” and shared that she had earned her seat. What Libby learned from Sheryl was that she was

Her level of commitment and passion for what she does makes me think that I could get consumed in my role. It would be challenging for me to work for someone who is so focused, articulate, and disciplined about her work that it could be overwhelming. It appears that Sheryl has clear expectations in terms of her commitment to her job and her family. She has publically stated that she is home by 5:30 pm to be with her family (Ignatius, 2013). I know that I can go “all in” and in turn, lose focus on other things around me. While it could be intimidating, I would certainly benefit from working for a leader who establishes clear expectations and empowers me to find ways to do the things I want to do in my life. When the leader leads by his/her own example it is easier for me to observe how he/she manages and prioritizes the work without as much internal questioning as to whether I am working as hard or being as effective as