Other editors whom I asked this week told me that women who worked for them had brought up the book — its broadly empowering message, and its specific advice on pushing for a raise. It’s a concrete, if anecdotal, suggestion that Sandberg’s high-profile effort to start a movement is having real consequences on a dynamic that’s well known to managers and backed by volumes of research: Women often ask for less money than they could get, and negotiate less aggressively than men.

The new phenomenon of women invoking Sandberg in salary talks “has happened here,” New York Times editor Jill Abramson said in an email. “I do think the book and all the attendant publicity have emboldened some women to speak up more directly about compensation, which is, of course, a welcome development.”

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I made note of Sandberg’s commentary on women leaders long before I knew she was expanding her ideas into a book.

My reaction was positive, and although I still haven’t gotten a chance to read Lean In, I imagine that my take-away will be on the more sympathetic side of the vast blogosphere vitriol and confusion.

.@lisamcintire @annaholmes I mean, no man reads “Good to Great” worrying that it doesn’t sympathize with guys working at McDonald’s.

— Heidi N. Moore (@moorehn) February 24, 2013