Humans have always been caregivers. Yet caregiving for children, the sick, and the elderly is shockingly undervalued and underaccommodated. Given how little value is placed on caregiving, the work-life movement has been stalled for decades, stuck on women and their children like a skipping record. There are more women in the workforce, but not significantly more in the top leadership positions. Most importantly, many women-- and increasingly some men--experience their efforts to have careers and care for dependents as a battle against themselves or their own wellbeing. Most of this conversation is centered on helping mothers succeed in the workplace, with little attention to how we think about caregiving more broadly. Commonly construed as a duty, obligation, or responsibility, caregiving is, for many people, something very different: a goal, a desire, an ambition. Society's failure to acknowledge caregiving as an ambition on par with career aspirations has created real consequences, including a troubling lack of caregiving for each other, stubborn gender gaps in leadership, and widespread dissatisfaction with life. This evidence-based, reflective, and practical book on caregiving ambition pushes beyond the "mommy wars" that divide women, and increasingly men, by how they care, uniting them instead on why and how much they care. Through firsthand quantitative and qualitative empirical research, plus a wealth of research reviewed, the authors bring together psychological theories and cutting-edge management research to illuminate how ignoring caregiving as an ambition perpetuates the status quo. This book shows the path forward: an honest discussion about caregiving ambition will make our individual and collective lives more humane, caring, and productive.

About the Author
Julia B. Bear is Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business at Stony Brook University (SUNY). She received her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Carnegie Mellon University. Her research focuses on the influence of gender on negotiation processes and outcomes, as well as understanding gender gaps in organizations more broadly. Todd L. Pittinsky is a Professor of Technology and Society at Stony Brook University (SUNY) and a faculty fellow of the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College. Previously he was on the faculty of Harvard University, where also served as the Director of Research for the Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Public Leadership. He received his Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University.

Reviews
Most of us have aspirations far beyond building successful careers-we want first and foremost to do right by the people we love. Bear and Pittinsky make the compelling case that it's time to rethink ambition to include the motivation to care for our families. * Adam Grant, Saul P. Steinberg Professor of Management, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife *
Thank goodness for a new, creative approach to managing caregiving and career ambitions in the same (very busy) life. This book is thoughtful, well-researched, and downright practical. * Linda Babcock, James M. Walton Professor of Economics, Carnegie Mellon University and Co-Author of Women Don't Ask and Ask For It *
A truly indispensable guide to understanding and succeeding in career and caregiving, full of essential advice you simply won't find anywhere else. * Maurice E. Schweitzer, Cecilia Yen Koo Professor of Operations and Information Management, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania and Co-Author of Friend & Foe *
Finally what we need to hear about something no one wants to talk about: women's and men's ambition, not only for work, but caregiving, too... sharp diagnosis and honest, workable real-world remedies. * Deb Tenenbaum, Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer at AppDirect *
Here's a book for those who want to accomplish great things in their careers while nurturing and caring for their families with just as much ambition. Bear and Pittinsky touch a third rail of women at work, gender gaps in leadership, and diversity, equity and inclusion: loved ones and caring are anchors, not dead weights. * Margaret Shih, Neil H. Jacoby Chair Professor in Management at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and Associate Vice Chancellor, UCLA Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion *
The evidence is clear: life's greatest fulfillment comes from meaningful relationships * yet we continue to think of ambition in terms of careers, salaries and job titles. Bear and Pittinsky tackle head on who, really, we should consider a big success.Brad Harrington, Executive Director and Research Professor, Boston College Center for Work & Family *
The Caregiving Ambition is an essential contribution to the conversation about who does what for whom from the cradle to the grave. A compendium on caregiving as impassioned as informed - it is not to be missed by anyone personally or professionally involved in tending to someone other than themselves. * Barbara Kellerman, Former Founding Executive Director, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School and Cofounder, International Leadership Association (ILA), and Author of Bad Leadership and Followership *
This is an important book coming out at just the right time. Covid-19 has brought many of us face-to-face with challenges and inequities in the way workplaces treat caregiving. The authors' recognition of caregiving as an "ambition" is brilliant-a radically new and sorely needed perspective. What we can see with this new lens isn't pretty. But neither is it unfixable. * Hillary Anger Elfenbein, John and Ellen Wallace Distinguished Professor, Washington University in St. Louis *
Bear and Pittinsky (both, Stony Brook Univ.) highlight that caregiving is not only essential to society but also a cherished ambition, whether performed for pay or otherwise. As such, it should be recognized and accommodated for both men and women in workplace structures...a useful book for discussion groups. * Choice *



Book Information
ISBN 9780197512418
Author Julia B. Bear
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Weight(grams) 499g
Dimensions(mm) 166mm * 242mm * 27mm