USA TODAY International Edition
Ivanka Trump offers glimpse of self in book
‘ Women Who Work’ talks influences, goals and that life- balance stuff
She’s the daughter of a billionaire family who married into another billionaire family, and she has made millions selling merchandise branded with her name — enough to employ platoons of nannies and assistants. So what could Ivanka Trump teach America’s millions of way- less- privileged working women? Trump’s book, Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Suc
cess, has a new preface she wrote after dad Donald Trump won the presidency in November. It’s out Tuesday ( Portfolio, $ 26).
If you’re curious about Trump, 35, who has taken an unpaid job as a senior adviser to her father, and how she might influence the Trump administration’s attitudes about women, you might want to lean in.
WHO GETS HER HIGHEST PRAISE?
She pays fulsome tribute to her mother, Ivana Trump, 68, Donald’s Czech- born first wife, mother of his three eldest children and once a key leader of his real estate empire. “It was my mother, unapologetically feminine in a male industry, who first embodied and defined for me what it meant to be a multidimensional woman — a woman who works at all aspects of her life,” Trump writes.
WHAT HAS BEEN HARDEST SINCE THE ELECTION?
Like her father, Trump has been surprised by her new life in Washington and the White House. Compelled by ethics concerns, she took a leave of absence from her high- flying role in The Trump Organization and her eponymous fashion brand, and that has been unexpectedly emotional for her. “It is difficult to step away from businesses that I have worked hard to build and that I believe in so fully, but the potential to improve the lives of countless women and girls has caused me to fundamentally consider where my work will do the greatest good,” she writes. “I recognize the privilege and responsibility I have to use my voice to make a positive impact where I can.”
WHAT DID SHE LEARN FROM HER FATHER?
“My father has always said, if you love what you do, and work really, really hard, you will succeed. This is a fundamental principle of creating and perpetuating a culture of success, and also a guiding light for me personally.” She admires how he seeks out the opinions of smart people when making decisions. “He’s certainly known for having strong opinions; what’s less known is how he forms them — by asking the people doing the work for their feedback.”
WHOSE EXAMPLE DOES SHE FOLLOW?
Family loyalty is in her DNA; she repeatedly praises her “amazing” parents and brothers. But she would like to be more like her husband, Jared Kushner, also a senior adviser to President Trump and scion of another New York real estate empire. “He’s incredibly pragmatic, always cool in the face of adversity; he finds it unproductive to focus on the problem ( vs. the solution) or to react emotionally,” she writes.
HOW IMPORTANT ARE HER HUSBAND AND THREE KIDS TO HER?
Her greatest passion, she writes, is being a wife and mother. “For me, family comes first, full stop, despite the fact that I’m obviously very passionate about my career.” From sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, they observe Shabbat ( she converted to Judaism), and they unplug: No emails, TV, Internet, phone calls. They spend time together on long meals, walks, reading, napping or hanging out. Their new thing is gardening at their country retreat in New Jersey. She makes bed- time special for her children ( Arabella, 5, Joseph, 3, Theo, 1) with “spa baths,” story time, cuddling and FaceTiming with the other parent who’s working late. She and Jared make an effort to have regular “date nights.”
WHAT DOES SHE DO FOR “SELF- CARE”?
She tries to squeeze in workouts twice a week before the kids wake, twice more if possible on weekends. She has taken up morning meditation. “I couldn’t do half of what I do in a day without it. Twenty minutes is ideal for calming the mind, eliminating distractions and boosting my productivity.” Also, she says, getting enough sleep and running help. Sometimes she’d like to relax in front of the TV, watch Real Housewives, eat a giant bowl of pasta and drink a glass of red wine. Instead, she writes, she turns off her devices and goes to her kids’ rooms to watch them sleep.
HOW DOES SHE DEAL WITH STRESS?
She has thrown over that whole work/ life balance stuff. When asked how she manages, she is firm: “I don’t and you can’t, so I don’t even try. Work/ life balance simply does not exist. The sooner we accept that is not a feasible goal, the less stressed we’ll be.”
WHAT WILL SHE FIGHT FOR IN THE TRUMP WHITE HOUSE?
Economic empowerment of women and girls, paid maternity, paternity or adoption leave for workers, and safe, affordable, quality child care. “While I never expected to have this heightened platform — and stepping into the political fray was daunting — I recognized both the privilege and the opportunity to use my voice to dramatically advance an important conversation.”