What Queen Esther Knew

Esther_Mordechai_PurimLast weekend I was reading an article with a the great title, “The Glass Ceiling is Kind of a Bummer”: Women’s Reflections on a Gender Development Course, which talked about how undergraduate women often, even as they are in women’s studies courses, deny the impact that sexism has had or will potentially have on their career. (For more on how to teach around this issues, see an article from the Negotiation Journal I co-authored with Cathy Tinsley, Sandy Cheldelin, and Emily Amantullah last year discussing better ways of teaching gender.) In any case, I read the glass ceiling article right before going to services to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim, and, as I was sitting listening to the story of Purim, it reminded me of a great business book written several years ago by Connie Glaser and Barbara Smalley — What Queen Esther Knew: Business Strategies from a Biblical Sage — and how Queen Esther dealt with her glass ceiling.

The story of Purim, to recap quickly, is a true story from 400 B.C. set in Persia. After King Ahasuerus becomes unhappy with his queen, he launches an empire-wide search to find his new queen. He chooses Esther, a Jewish orphan raised by her Uncle Mordechai.

One day Mordechai refuses to bow down to one of the King’s ministers, Haman. Haman becomes so enraged at this that he not only plots Mordechai’s death but deceives the king into ordering that all Jews throughout the Persian Empire be put to death. Esther has to approach the king without an invitation (which could mean death) and then convince him to spare her people. The king grants Esther an audience and offers her anything. She only asks that the king and Haman join her for dinner. At dinner, the king again offers her anything and she requests that the king and Haman join her again the next night. Only at the next dinner does Esther reveal that she is Jewish and that Haman has plotted to kill her people. She begs the king to “grant me my life and spare my people.” The King grants Esther her wish, Haman is hanged, and the Jews are spared. Not a bad negotiation outcome.

The authors of the book point out several leadership strategies that Esther used: making a great first impression; finding a mentor; knowing palace gossip (or the workings of your own institution); fighting for what you believe in; mapping out a plan of attack; communicating like a queen (clearly and forthrightly); how to deal with life’s Hamans; and keeping the faith. The book is filled with great stories from women who have succeeded at their jobs by demonstrating some combination of winning strategies, determination, and faith.

In other words, undergrads might want to ignore glass ceiling issues but, in real life, it is probably better to have some good ideas for how to deal with them.

Cross posted at Indisputably.

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Martin Tanz

    I haven’t read the book, but it sounds like a good read, and far more useful than the usual motivations or succeed in business books. Does the book mention anything about courage? The takeaway lesson I get from the Purim story is the tremendous courage Queen Esther had to address the king (actually not so much a king as an oriental despot) and stand up for her people. Remember the king of Persia banished the first Queen because she wouldn’t submit to a really arbitrary and outrageous demand; that she dance naked for his drunken cronies. Any man who would do something like that is capable of anything.

  2. Joan Shepard

    Esther offers a plethora of good business strategies, and I add my own observations to those listed above. Humility is a tremendous asset when dealing with big egos. On a more physical level, fasting before a big meeting clears the mind and can sharpen focus (Esther and the Jews fasted for three days before she approached the king). And a more controversial observation is that she used her femininity to an advantage, however, one must remember she was negotiating with her husband. The book sounds fascinating and I plan to read it. Thanks for the post.

  3. Missy McPherson

    I read the book and highly recommend it. I have also met Connie Glaser as we had her come speak on this topic to our Women’s Group at my former company.

    The book makes many salient points – one of which is about courage. That is, the courage to do the right thing even when everyone around you is turning a blind eye. Now in business – unlike for Queen Esther – it will not cost you your physical life, but many times we are faced with making decisions that could potentially end our career life or make us unpopular.

    Ms Schneider makes a good point to undergrads – do not ignore the fact that there are still barriers for women in business – they are more subtle now than in the ’70s, but they are not insurmountable if one has the courage to make the tough decisions.

  4. Peter Bolin

    I’m looking into it some more, and I noticed that some people also discuss her decision to execute Haman’s ten sons — just something I wanted to mention (since it was not just Haman that was hanged, it was also his sons apparently).

    It seems to be a bit of a morally gray area — perhaps as a form of trying to deal with a perceived threat at the time — hmm, oh well.

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