Good morning, Broadsheet readers. Serena Williams set a new personal record, and a lawmaker in California is questioning whether or not NFL cheerleaders should have their own Bill of Rights. Read on to learn how teenage girls reacted to this year’s most sexually offensive Super Bowl ad. Enjoy Monday!
EVERYONE'S TALKING
• The economics of paid leave. Supporters argue that paid leave helps the economy, while opponents say it's too big of a burden for employers. Claire Cain Miller of the New York Times looked into how paid parental leave is playing out in states like California where it is already mandated, and found that "paid leave does not necessarily help businesses — but it does not seem to hurt them, either." An expert told Miller that, "the punch line is it reduces disparities in leave-taking between low and high socioeconomic groups, and does so without damaging these women’s later labor market prospects." NYTimes
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
• Big bonus. Amid ever-falling profits and revenue, IBM announced that CEO Ginny Rometty is set to receive a $3.6 million bonus for her 2014 performance. Rometty is aggressively trying to turn IBM into the tech company fit for the future, but has yet to make shareholders happy. WSJ
• Clinton gets advice. Joseph Stiglitz and former Fed chairman Paul Volcker are among a large group of people that Hillary Clinton is meeting with to prepare for a potential 2016 presidential bid. The former Secretary of State is trying to figure out how she will address the economic concerns of the middle class without threatening high-income groups. WSJ
• Serena slams Sharapova. Serena Williams, 33, defeated Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open finals to win her 19th Grand Slam singles title. Williams now has beaten Sharapova 16 consecutive times. Sports Illustrated
• 'Good women are a rare commodity.' That's what Ulrich Lehner, supervisory board chairman of German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp AG, said in response to his company not having enough women on its board to meet Germany's quota requirements. Lehner's "defense" is common among board chairmen and executives who still lack diversity in their boardrooms. Bloomberg
• What about paternity leave? Before we will see more women in corporate leadership positions, the U.S. needs to become more progressive with its paid leave policies for working fathers, writes Fortune's Leigh Gallagher. "One clear path to more equality in the workforce and more women in leadership roles is having fathers share in early childcare duties," she writes. Fortune
• A cheerleader Bill of Rights? As more and more NFL cheerleaders sue for things like unpaid overtime, California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez is introducing a bill to protect their rights. The proposed legislation would consider cheerleaders employees under California law and require professional sports teams in the state to grant them the same rights as other employees. Fortune
• MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Federica Marchionni, President of Dolce & Gabbana USA, is now CEO of Lands' End.
MPW INSIDER MONDAYS
• Have a backup plan. Leaving an established company to start your own can be terrifying. That's why "a successful leader doesn’t put all their eggs in one basket and hope they will come out on top. Instead, they make sure there are multiple opportunities to succeed in different areas," writes Kara Goldin, founder and CEO of Hint Water. Fortune
• Reward your employees. It may sound simple, but successful leaders know that something as small as saying thank you can go a long way when trying to encourage employees to work hard, says Lisa Carnoy, division executive of U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management. Fortune
• Be accountable. To get more women on Wall Street, boards of directors need to own the diversity problem. "While I do not believe in quotas, I strongly believe in setting standards and enforcing them," writes Shiza Shahid, co-founder and ambassador of Malala Fund. Fortune
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
• 'Completely objectifying' There were very few ads during the Super Bowl this year that truly were offensive to women, but Carl's Jr. really went above and beyond. SheKnows, a women’s lifestyle media brand, taped teenage girls reacting to all the Super Bowl ads. Their reactions to Carl's Jr.'s spot was not only negative, but the girls were also confused that companies still showcase women in such an offensive manner. SheKnows
• Sisterhood unite. A baby formula maker's new ad pokes fun of the many decisions parents have to make when it comes to how to raise their children. It's worth checking out because the surprising ending to the ad has everyone talking. Fortune
• 'Become an engineer.' Last week, a fan tweeted at actress Emma Watson asking for advice. The fan wants to become an engineer, but her father thinks it's a "men profession." Watson's advice for dealing with the situation was simple: 'Become an engineer,' she tweeted back. Mic
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ON MY RADAR
The woman who shaped the NFL's domestic violence defense Bloomberg
3 ways to improve your business in 2015 Fortune
Stop equating women in tech with engineers Medium
Are working dads having it all? WSJ
A mosque just for women in LA WSJ
How smiling changes your brain Fast Company
QUOTE
For us to move out of where we are now, and to move to something more sustainable and exciting, I think it will be in the hands of women and young people.
Actor Robert Redford weighs in on the shortage of women in leadership in Hollywood.
