I felt compelled to respond to Kathy Caprino’s Forbes.com article “7 Ways Your Father Influenced Your Career.” Thought I’d share it:
” Kathy: My father believed that higher education for women was extremely important. Having a brother who excelled in academics from the day he set foot in a classroom, my father always found a way to emphasize my talents and to help me recognize that those and others would continue to develop. He nudged me away from even part time jobs that he thought might lead me to be satisfied too easily. Always supportive, but never complacent, he was there to give advice, to rejoice in accomplishments and to look ahead to more. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30, his optimism continued though it was evident that he and my mother were quietly frightened. They focused on the future. My dad encouraged me at every turn and helped me understand the challenges of working with mostly men, something I’ve done all of my career and written about in books and in HBR (e.g, The Memo Every Woman Keeps in Her Desk). Having an older brother influenced that skill set too, as you mentioned. This relationship is the centerpiece of my new novel, Shadow Campus — an estranged brother and sister are brought together when she is found hanging in her business school university office, nearly dead on the eve of tenure. Her father was a powerful influence on her success. Funny how real life slips into fiction. Thanks for the opportunity to remember my dad and to give him the credit he richly deserves.”
