Reading Partners Tutors “Lean In”

When the editor at Be Inkandescent magazine asked me to write an article on Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s theme of “leaning in,” my first thought went neither to tough decisions in my career nor to climbing a professional ladder. Rather, I thought first and foremost about volunteerism.

There are hundreds of women and men in our city who apply Sandberg’s prevailing advice – lean in, engage, and seek out new chances to be heard – on a weekly basis through community service. Volunteers with Reading Partners may not receive big paychecks or primetime TV interviews in return, but their commitment demonstrates that “leaning in” is infectious. Indeed, when you lean in, you provide a model for others to seize new opportunities. As I wrote for BeInkandescent magazine, thanks to our tutors, “I see our students lean in to learning, lean in so they can master the literacy skills that will unlock the opportunity to choose their own life path.”

Sandberg’s bestselling book may be aimed at encouraging women in the workplace, but its message has resonance above and beyond that particular audience. I encourage you to read the full article and to think about ways that you can lean in to the community around you. For when we all lean in, we get results.