Quote and Overview
An excerpt from Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant’s 2017 book Option B explores one of the most obvious examples of resilience: coping with the loss of a loved one. Sandberg writes about her husband’s death, sharing an emotional story of the immediate aftermath of his death as she and her children adjust to their new family dynamic. This excerpt is introduced by Dr. Michael Ozlanski.
Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg has been the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook since 2008 where she has helped tremendously boost revenues on the site. Sandberg has earned her Bachelor of Arts/Science at Harvard University and her Master of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Her accomplishments include founding LeanIn.Org, a nonprofit organization to support women's empowerment, and spending six years as a vice president at Google where she developed its online advertising programs.
Discussion Questions
1. What do you think is the meaning behind the title Option B?
2. Does one of psychologist Martin Seligman's "three P's" (personalization, pervasiveness, permanence) seem the most daunting to you?
3. Why do people share stories of grief?
In-Class Activities
1. Based on your own interests, look up one or more of the references in Sheryl Sandberg's memoir and present your findings to the class. Include some analysis of the importance of the reference to the story Sandberg is trying to tell, or the impact she hopes to make.
- co-author Adam Grant
- psychologist Martin Seligman
- various books on grief (with "dreadful titles")
- author C.S. Lewis
- documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim
- SurveyMonkey
- "Oseh Shalom" song
- author Samuel Beckett
- pop song "Everything Is Awesome"
- Mark Zuckerberg
- "bereavement leave"
- "affective forecasting"
- Pema Chodron, American Buddhist monk
- movie Courage Under Fire
2. Sandberg, a very successful individual, has dealt with a great deal of trauma. Have students research examples of other successful individuals who have dealt with trauma. How have these people demonstrated resilience in getting through their trauma?
3. Write an essay that explores one or more aspects of Sandberg's comments on privilege and fortune:
"For each hopeful story we tell here, there are others where circumstances were too much too overcome. Recovery does not start from the same place for everyone. Wars, violence, systemic sexism, and racism decimate lives and communities. Discrimination, disease, and poverty cause and worsen tragedy. The sad truth is that adversity is not evenly distributed among us; marginalized and disenfranchised groups have more to battle and more to grieve."
