When I first heard about the book ‘The No Club’, I thought it was probably just about saying no to providing coffee or volunteering to write minutes of meetings and the like. I allowed myself to be tempted to buy and read the book anyway – and quickly became a lot wiser:
During the past 19 years, I have been involved in voluntary board work for periods, either as a board member or board chairman. I have also done professional pro bono work in connection with the development of a current new due diligence standard, where I was appointed as group leader and specialist in my area of expertise. In my (paid) working life, I have also – more than a few times – been assigned the responsibility of completing projects which had been placed in a pickle for far too long.
I have always been quick to say ‘yes’ to responsible tasks, after which I have taken on the role of project manager or specialist with a small smile on my face. In most cases, I have been honored to be asked (aka the Diva Moment), but I also know the flip side of the coin: that I can, for example, risk losing my entire arm by simply reaching out. I will not go into detail about that.
After reading the book ‘The No Club’ it is clear that I simply have to be quicker to say ‘no’ and only say ‘yes’ to the tasks and areas of responsibility that are essential to me and my work.
That’s not to say that I’ve never said ‘no’:
A few years ago, I was asked if I would like to join the board of a small company. When I asked about the fee, the business owner became indignant and said that there could be no question of a fee, but that the board was offered an annual weekend stay somewhere in Jutland. I said ‘no’.
Within the past years, I have also been invited to run for a voluntary board position because the person asking thought my skills would make sense there. I said ‘no’.
So yes, I have already been able to say ‘no’. Both as a human being and as a woman. But reading the book – and not least going through the practical exercises – has truly been a gift for my future life. I also hope that the book can make sense for you, regardless of gender. A recommendation is hereby given.
‘The No Club – Putting a Stop to Women’s Dead-End Work’ by Linda Babcock, Brenda Peyser, Lise Vesterlund, and Laurie Weingart. Piatkus, 2022.
solveig einarsson/november 2022