102: The Female Ambition Penalty with Stefanie O'Connell

For years, women have been told that success comes down to confidence: negotiate your salary, advocate for yourself, and lean in. But what happens when women follow that advice—and still face backlash?

In this episode, Amanda sits down with writer and researcher Stefanie O’Connell to unpack the research behind what she calls the “ambition penalty.”

We discuss:

Why women negotiate salaries just as often as men—but are more likely to face backlash for it
How cultural expectations about gender shape workplace outcomes
The difference between personal failure and structural barriers
How the “lean in” narrative oversimplifies the challenges women face
The gap between the girl-power messaging many millennials grew up with and their current reality
How motherhood and midlife can intensify these structural pressures
Why understanding the data can help women stop blaming themselves

You can follow Stefanie on Instagram @stefanieoconnell. Find more of her work on Substack at https://tooambitious.substack.com/. You can also pre-order her book "The Ambition Penalty" on her website here: https://tooambitious.com/book/.

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We have some incredible BONUS episodes on our SUBSTACK! nuanceneeded.substack.com

To learn more about therapy reach out to Therapy for Women Center, therapyforwomencenter.com. We have therapists licensed in 42 states across the country and have offices if you are local to the Philadelphia area.

Want to join the conversation? You can email us podcast@therapyforwomencenter.com. We’d love to hear what you think!

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Episoder(119)

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115: The Self-Esteem Movement Was a Political Stunt

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19 Mai 1h 3min

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14 Mai 59min

111: Turning Grief Into Action with Shannon Watts

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12 Mai 54min