I rarely read Vogue magazine, but I was eager to see what they had to say about Sheryl Sandberg, the highly successful COO of Facebook. The story is part of a new dialogue about women leaders – a focus on their leadership, accomplishments, and style. Let me quote directly from Kevin Conley’s piece:

“It’s tempting to see Sandberg’s managerial style… as an example of practical third-wave feminism hitting the workplace. But this interpretation does her a disservice. Sandberg’s policies aren’t rare because there are so few women executives. They’re rare because there aren’t many executives, male or female, with her skills and abilities.”

Vogue’s feature “What she saw at the revolution” is different from the conventional themes about women in business. It does not assert how business life is so different and hard for women who have both careers and families. It is not a claim that women are more qualified to lead because of their strictly feminine traits or their deep appreciation of family and community. Nor is the reader likely to conclude that Sandberg is missing the close relationships of her family and friends that force women to compromise their careers and spend more time at home.

In a blend of business insight, fact, and social excitement, Conley presents a personal view of what this leader is really like: 

According to Michelle, her sister, “She’s willing to take risks, incur pain, in the interest of helping other people.” When asked about this tendency, Sandberg’s response is typically direct:  “I think that what you owe people in life is the truth.”

Most aspiring women want the real truth, unvarnished by spin or self-promotion. It is refreshing to look at women leaders based on facts, anecdote, and a variety of perspectives instead of social agendas – to discover some of what Sandberg knows that other corporate executives and entrepreneurs don’t. What is it about her capabilities and view of the world that makes her so successful?

Of course, it’s not all dazzle and wonder for women leaders, so let’s be sure to acknowledge the downsides in the stories about them. Erin Callan, former CFO of Lehman Brothers and Zoe Cruz [stepping down as Co-President of Morgan Stanley in November 2007] were casualties of a poor financial performance. Their leadership were connected to significant business losses. To say these situations are another example of the injustice of Wall Street is to ignore the results these leaders are judged by. We need to expect bumps in a career where things can turn sour, if only temporarily - that’s what happens in business, and women are not exempt.