Book review: 'Sharpen Your Heels' by Mrs. Moneypenny

— -- It may be called Sharpen Your Heels, but the message of this career-advice book for women is blunt: To get to the top, you need to do all the things that men do to get there, and then some.

Ably spelling out the "then some" is Mrs. Moneypenny, aka Heather McGregor, an accomplished Englishwoman who runs her own headhunting business, writes the long-running Mrs. Moneypenny column in the Financial Times, stars in the delightfully named Superscrimpers British television show, and parents three boys whom she cheekily refers to as Cost Centers 1, 2 and 3.

Besides her heels, Moneypenny has many other sharp qualities: her mind, her wit and, at times, her tongue. Lines such as "Anyone over the age of 7 who uses the word 'unfair' has a very loose grasp on reality," and "The best way to help the poor is to ensure you don't become one of them," demonstrate her no-nonsense approach to professional mobility.

And Moneypenny truly aims this book at women who are shooting for the top rungs of the career ladder. Some time-saving tips she suggests would only be practical to those way up in the status-phere, such as having a hairdresser come to you or employing a driver.

Nevertheless, the bulk of her suggestions will be worthwhile for any woman, particularly those with children.

Moneypenny dispenses valuable advice on making connections, what sort of education to pursue, financial literacy and saying "no," a difficult one for women. At the end of each chapter, she sums up by assigning "homework for ambitious women" geared to their age or stage of career.

Speaking of age, a particularly empowering element of the book is its strong "it's never too late" message. "The truth is, women are far more susceptible to putting up hurdles to their progress than men," and "claiming that it is too late for something is the most frequently encountered hurdle of all," she writes.

The Moneypenny of today scoffs at the notion that 26-year-old Moneypenny decided she was too old to train as a chartered accountant (the British equivalent of a CPA, roughly). Failing to do so has proved to be a longtime irritant to Moneypenny, who has challenged herself to pursue the accountancy qualification this year, at 50. This after obtaining a pilot's license at 47.

But by far the most powerful chapter speaks for itself with its title: "You Can't Have It All."

"It is not possible to be the best mother ever, the best wife ever, the best executive ever, the best cook ever — at the same time, all of the time," Moneypenny writes.

Trying to have it all, Moneypenny writes, will put the brakes on a career for three reasons. First, doing anything well takes focus. Second, attempting the impossible will result in sheer exhaustion. Finally, trying to balance too many competing demands sends a message that you are not committed to any one of them.

And perhaps that's the new women's liberation: freeing ourselves from even trying. Better, Moneypenny says, to work out your top priorities and compare them with where your precious time is actually spent.

If there's a mismatch, Moneypenny writes, figure out what you're going to do to put it back in balance.