Cover Image: Breaking Through Bias

Breaking Through Bias

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Member Reviews

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

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While this book had some really useful insights and tips, it also was disappointing in that instead of addressing how we could begin to change some of the biases that women encounter in the workplace, its attitude was more "well that's just the way it is, so accept it and just change how you speak/behave." Sad trombone.

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A powerful book about the bias that women face every day in the workplace.

The authors provide examples, tips, methods, and research that highly purports women to empower themselves and to overcome gender bias.

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This is a book written to help the reader (women) understand stereotypes (specifically in the workplace) and develop techniques to overcome them and have a successful career. There are sections on understanding stereotypes and communication (with yourself, with others, in difficult situations).
As a person who has read quite a bit on this topic and attended courses to overcome these same biases, I didn't find that it contained anything particularly new. It seems well-researched, although much of the research is found in similar books.
I liked the way at the end of each chapter there's a series of key takeways in the form of a summary (as a form of "say what you're going to say, say it, then say what you said" to help retain the information) which can be referred to for a quick recap.
This book can be useful if you are not already familiar with the topic or you're relatively new to it.

This is an honest review of an ARC. Many thanks to NetGalley and Nicholas Brealey Publishing for the free copy.

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Breaking Through Bias (Second Edition) by Andrea S. Kramer and Alton B. Harris is a book designed to help the reader understand stereotypes and develop communication techniques to address daily biases. The book is separated into several sections including understanding gender stereotypes, communicating with yourself, communicating with others, and communicating in difficult situations. Compared to the first edition, the second edition primarily updates the later sections and implements new communication techniques they have learned since the first edition. I found the writing easy to read, well-researched, and I enjoyed the commentary from Andrea and Alton throughout the chapters. I also appreciated the key takeaways at the end of each chapter. I will continue to refer to this book as I find it a valuable resource to improve my communication, especially when I return to the job market. I highly recommend this book for all women, especially professional women working in male-dominated fields.

Many thanks to the publisher Nicholas Brealey Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

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This book was very in-depth and drew upon a lot of statistics, examples and links.
This was certainly an interesting read and I have taken some lessons from it. There were some points which, I felt, were repeated a bit but that was to shed light on each angle of the point being expressed.
I have found that I am able to relate to some of the issues raised in the book which was concerning but I feel better equipped to deal with these issues going forward

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Such a strong empowering read. Was able to reflect on my own actions and mannerisms at work. Felt like i had my own pocketbook of best tips and tricks to help me in the workforce. Amazing. Also full of great resources. . I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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