Family vs. Career – Both Are Possible, Says Nancy McKinstry

One of the much debated aspects of the work-life balance discussion is whether climbing the corporate ladder automatically means that women have to choose between a family and their career.

Quoted in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, former General Electric CEO Jack Welch posited: “There's no such thing as work-life balance.” He went on to say that “taking time off for family can offer a nice life but the chances of going to the top on that path are smaller.”

Wolters Kluwer CEO, Nancy McKinstry, offered a different point of view. McKinstry took a five-month maternity leave when her now 19-year-old son was born and four weeks off after her daughter's birth 13 years ago. She believes that women can take a couple of years off to raise children and still become CEO. However, “if you take a decade off, you probably aren't going to make it to the top,” she added. Indeed, reaching the top of an organization requires sacrifices - for men as well as women.

More information
You can read the full article (including the over 115 comments that the article attracted) on the Wall Street Journal Website.