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Influence: How Women's Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World for the Better

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I'm a guy, but I'm very receptive to women's issues. I think women's rising influence is a good thing. I have some issues with this book. You have plenty of reviews from women who "loved it, loved it, loved it" - which may be useful to you. I didn't love it. I thought it had some strengths and some weaknesses.

I was a little annoyed by the start of the book, because for about 60s pages it goes on about women who "have it all" - finish-rich career options, darling little babies, understanding (doctor, lawyer-type) husbands ...

While the book at times gives a nod of appreciation to women in third world countries, it really focuses too exclusively, in my opinion, on a class of very smart and ambitious women. Too many examples of woman x who gave up her affluent corporate job to raise a child while her lawyer husband brings home the cash. Too many examples of women who ended up with mr. Right, who is sticking around to help her raise a family. A few examples of women who didn't end up with mr. Right but since they have awesome jobs it's ok. What about the women who have the kids but don't have the partner and don't have the awesome job?

The problem with poor people is they aren't glamorous and they aren't intteresting to read about. That's why they don't get much coverage in check-stand tabloids. Only the rich people do.

A woman could be profiled here if she is a single mom (by choice) who gives up a great job to raise her kid. She can be profiled here if she has a great husband who takes care of the kids while she goes out and brings home the bacon - from a very nice job of course... but if she is a mom without a great career and without the uber-husband she is hard to find here.

Yes, this is a book about women who own their own homes and drive nice cars who are juggling career and family. It is not a book about women who are just plain struggling to keep their heads above water.

Of course the non-affluent are not the economically and politically influential people this book wants to be about.

To be fair, it's well written and smartly put together. It's just too rooted in the problems of people working in great jobs with great compensation packages with progressive employers. It's too much about the affluent to realistically take a hard look at the problems it wants to look at.

That's my opinion.

Like many well-written non-fiction books I find valuable, "Influence" puts facts, figures and a face (through interesting real life stories) to a phenomena that at some level we are aware is unfolding but need an expert to bring into focus for us. After clearly laying out the historical and current context for the growing economic influence of women, Dychtwald challenges the reader to visualize a very inspiring future for both genders.

As an adult male, my personal reading of "Influence" was not strictly through my own eyes but also through the eyes of the three generations of women I hold dear including: my mother, who re-entered the workforce to raise my siblings after my father passed away; my wife, who worked hard, became well-educated and had a successful professional career in the field of law; and my two daughters who are just beginning to write their own unique stories. As a father, "Influence" bolstered my private hope that my daughters should indeed feel free to dream big and pursue a life on their own terms, unencumbered by false gender limits.

The "soaring economic power" referred to in this book's subtitle is the result of an "economic emancipation [as] women around the world [are] becoming financially powerful enough to stand on their own two feet and tip the power balance, starting with home life, extending to work life, and finally affecting the general society." Maddy Dychtwald goes on to observe, "It's hardly an exaggeration to say that for all of recorded history, women have basically been second-class citizens in a male-dominated world. And it's not ideology to assert that the status of women is changing. What we're seeing now - exponential gains toward self-sufficiency, soaring education rates, mass economic empowerment around the world - are facts. They are history rushing forward. Nothing more, nothing less."

According to Dychtwald, channeling Abraham Maslow's concept of the hierarchy if needs, there are three stages of Economic Power: survival, independence, and influence. As women reach the third stage, they will demonstrate what Maslow characterizes as "self-actualization" and the sooner the better because nations, corporations, and communities "must seek better ways to nurture and harness the full talents of their entire population, both women and men. And there is ample hard evidence to show that tapping women's talents, in every sphere, will make the world more equitable and more prosperous."

Throughout her narrative, Dychtwald draws upon what she learned during more than 100 in-depth interviews of "financially empowered" and "socially enlightened" women, sharing their insights and perspectives. "Three clear trends quickly emerged from out research - trends that were largely on the surface, already supported by private studies, but that hadn't been probed as deeply before. We saw what was happening with women and their money, and with men and their money, but also began to understand why - and what it means for the future> The three trends? They are (1) Money means security to women, freedom to men; (2) Men see themselves as "warriors," women as "worriers"; and (3) Women put the financial needs of others ahead of their own. Dychtwald discusses each of these trends in depth, correlating them with what she identifies as women's five money profiles: Perceptive Planner (35% of U.S. women), Owner Partner (23%), Alpha Female (18%), Uncertain Searcher (16%), and Supportive Traditionalist (8%). "One thing is clear: Any woman who remains an Uncertain Searcher of Supportive Traditionalist faces clear and urgent dangers to her independence and perhaps even to her economic survival.

Dychtwald devotes a separate chapter to each of several major themes such "the entrepreneurial exodus" in business, "rewriting the rules from the outside in" in the workplace, why women ARE the market in the marketplace, "the future of men" at home, "mutiny on Noah's ark" in the family, and "closing the leadership gap" in politics. She then shares her own thoughts as well as others' about various legacies of "women's soaring economic power," legacies whose impact "will transform our world for the better." Of special interest to me is the Nobel Women's Initiative led by the seven (of only twelve) women who have received a Nobel Peace Prize and are still alive. Their purpose is "to promote, spotlight, and grow the work of women's rights advocates and organizations worldwide that address the root causes of violence." At the group's second international conference (in 2009), a declaration was adopted. It serves both as an affirmation of human rights and a call-to-action. "We are in search of democracy that transforms not just our lives, but all society - and we will not be silenced until it is achieved in every part of the world."

In the Epilogue, Dychtwald offers ten specific suggestions as to what her female readers can do, now, to accelerate the progress of the "power shift" underway. My own opinion (and, yes, one man's opinion) is that she misses a precious opportunity to solicit the active support of men, also. (Ironically, her eighth suggestion is "Enlist men.") For too long, in too many societies, freedom and justice have been gender-specific. The human values Maddy Dychtwald affirms and the strategic goals she seeks are not gender-specific. The fact remains, expediting the progress of the "power shift" to economic emancipation which she frequently refers is best achieved by a global coalition of women and men.

You are cordially invited to check out the resources at www.influence-book.com and http://www.maddydychtwald.com/.

As we navigate the turbulent waters of our future, whether speaking of our professional future or personal, one thing stands out as an essential ingredient; a map. From its inception, Age Wave has provided the weary traveler with a glimpse into what lies ahead and just as the significance of recognizing our new aging demographics allowed us to chart a course into the latter part of the 20th century; so too will the awareness of women's influence guide us into the 21st century. Maddy Dychtwald, along with her co-author Chris Larson, has brought to life this awareness and points us towards a clarity where we are able to respond. I cannot think of a business, or an individual, that would not benefit from the insights of their work.

I received the Influence at the end of last week and was so engaged I had to finish it! This is so much more than a "women's" book. This is a wake up call to the world that the balance of power has shifted and created unprecedented opportunities - for women, for companies and quite literally, the world. We have an opportunity to change thinking, direction and the conversation. Maybe the most eloquent and important discussion of how demography and cultural influences have shaped generations of women who are finding their center of influence and power.

Influence is a very detailed study of the growing economic power of women and how that influence is and will continue to impact the world for the better.

If you are a woman, you should gain encouragement from this book. The book traces the significant gains women are making in every segment of life. "Between 2000 and 2008, women's average weekly wages grew steadily, while men's did not." "Today, women hold 51 percent of all management, professional and related positions in the United States."

If you are a man, you must understand this growing influence and how to work with women. It is no longer a man's world and trying to resist the wave of change will only hurt your efforts.

This book is filled with real life examples of women who are highly successful, who manage to have both a family and a career.

There are some very interesting contrasts between men and women - what drives them to seek money and how differently they treat money. Men tend to be more concerned with what they can do with money while women are more concerned with doing good for their families.

Women will probably come away with a better feeling about themselves and their potential from reading this book. Men will be a little more sober about the changes they need to make to fit into a world where women are becoming more and more influential.

Influence captures the changing economic influence of women in a well written, easy to read book.

This is an interesting and broad survey of women's roles in the modern world. It is frankly quite optimistic, seeing positive change everywhere. Women are gaining economic cloud in many areas of the globe. This means that corporations in the U.S. that never bothered to market to women before now do it. It means that women in developing countries are gaining income and some measure of independence. What I find most striking is the finding that if women earn money it tends to go to their families and specifically their children, in poorer nations, while men, alas, are more likely to spend it on themselves. Women who earn a bit of money are likely to spend some of it educating their children, and that matters greatly.

Will economic power translate into political power and a better, more peaceful world? The authors are optimistic. Perhaps they are overly so. Political, social, and cultural change can take a long time. Nevertheless, they make a convincing case for the idea that global transformation is one the way.

This book swings for the fences. It takes on a big theme, the economic power of women, and creates a compelling case for how women are succeeding at developing economic power and using it in a different way from men. It's more survey than in depth analysis but it covers a lot of ground. I especially like the chapter on closing the leadership gap between men and women in the political arena. Clearly there will be a surge of very talented, ambitious women taking important roles in the political process in the near future. In addition to facilitating a more comprehensive economic empowerment for all Americans, women can't help but do better than men on issues of war and peace. If I have a criticism of the book it would be its focus on women who have already done well financially. I'd be interested to learn how less advantaged women are going to share the wealth and influence. Perhaps this is good material for a follow up book by two authors, Dychtwald and Larson, who are already helping to shape a real discussion between the genders on what may be the economic issue of the day.

I did not think a book on the subject of women and economics could actually fun to read but that is what I found with "Influence, How Women's Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World for the Better," by Maddy Dychtwald with Christine Larson. It's quite a kick to read that women are shopping their way to the top, not frivolously, but by being out in the market place, buying cars, homes, school supplies, electronics, what-have-you. Child care, elder care, mass transit, shifting roles of men, how the family unit is morphing, and new norms for the 21st century, this book discusses it all, gives examples, and keeps on synthesizing these ideas in a very readable way.

So, fun yes, but also hugely challenging. And not just for women. Men would find this book interseting and relevant, too.

INFLUENCE: HOW WOMEN'S SOARING ECONOMIC POWER WILL TRANSFORM OUR WORLD FOR THE BETTER examines the emergency of women as an economic force, considering how women are on the brink of a new financial power and how they will use it to improve society. Interviews, lively reporting, and research document a large cultural revolution in the works in this outstanding survey.