What can we learn from new billionaire Sheryl Sandberg?

Newly announced billionaire Sheryl Sandberg hasn't been shy about her rise to success and riches. Last year she launched a best-selling book about her experiences in combination with a organisation and movement designed to educated, inspire and aid women.

Whether we want to be the COO of a major international company or no, there's some vital advice for every woman to take from Sheryl's celebrated book.

In our office we've been post-it-ing Lean In and spouting lines from it at every opportunity, and putting into practise some of Sheryl's advice is changing the way we work. Here are some of the most useful commandments from the lady herself:

1. Don't fear the unknown
Back in 2001, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt offered her a job with a vague description. When Sandberg questioned the terms, Schmidt balked. "First he said, 'Sheryl, don't be an idiot.' Which is excellent career advice," said Sandberg. "But the next thing he said was, 'If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship, get on, don't ask what seat.' I tell people in their careers, 'Look for growth. Look for the teams that are growing quickly. Look for the companies that are doing well. Look for a place where you feel that you can have a lot of impact.'"

2. Don't try to please everyone
Sandberg shared an eye-opening experience from her own review with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. "He said, 'Sheryl, your biggest problem is — you're trying to please everyone all the time. You're trying not to say anything that anyone objects to. You don't make change in the world, you don't have impact in the world unless you're willing to say things that not everyone will like.' Really important advice for me," admitted Sandberg, who added that women tend to be disliked the higher they move up at work. However, embracing unpopularity is simply part of being the boss.

[What does the size of your latte say about you?]
[10 steps to self-publishing your own novel]

3. Success is a self-fulfilling prophecy
In October 2012, Sandberg jumped into a Q&A session on the social networking site Quora to share her thoughts on how women can best enter the tech field. "The key thing is to believe in your own abilities," she wrote. "Studies show that women often underestimate their own abilities, which holds them back from taking on the challenges that help any of us achieve our potential.

"Stereotype threat — the phenomenon that if people are aware of a stereotype they are more likely to act in accordance with it — is a real issue for girls in science, math, and technology. Girls don't think they can do well, and therefore they don't. (This is why girls often do better in these subjects at all-girls schools.) If women believe they can succeed in tech, they will."

4. Pick the right person in your homelife
Sheryl has been adamant that your relationship has to enhance your ability to perform in your career. SHe said: "The most important career choice you'll make is who you marry. I have an awesome husband, and we're 50/50." She added that having the support of one's partner plays a huge role in the success of women. It makes sense — if one partner doesn't support the other's job relocation or isn't willing to pitch in around the house more so his or her spouse can work late, that dynamic can hinder both a marriage and a career.

5. Give little girls the right praise
Sheryl shared her thoughts on the subtle ways a woman's confidence is diminished — a process that often begins in childhood. "I want every little girl who someone says 'they're bossy' to be told instead, 'you have leadership skills' because I was told that and because every woman I know who's in a leadership position was told that," said Sandberg. Smart advice to parents everywhere.

[How to network like a pro using the right body language]
[How I quit my job and became my own boss]

7. Work-life balance is crucial
Sheryl received plenty of attention when she made it clear that at Facebook she always leaves the office at 5:30 p.m. to be home in time for dinner with her husband and two children. Obvioulsy unlike the average employee, Sheryl's executive status allows her to set her own schedule, but her advice had subtext: Women who don't separate the office and home are overworked and starved for family time. It can feel as if you're failing at both.

8. Speak up for what you want
Career opportunities don't always present themselves on a silver platter; paying attention to office politics and lending support to an area that's lacking are smart ways to achieve a goal. In "Lean In," Sandberg wrote, "Increasingly, opportunities are not well defined but, instead, come from someone jumping in to do something. That something then becomes his job."

9. Forget perfection
According to a 2008 Hewlett-Packard study, women tend to apply for a job if they believe they meet 100 percent of the criteria. Men, on the other hand, will apply if they believe they're only 60 percent qualified,  The lesson: If you're applying for a job you're not entirely confident about, go for it anyway. If it's truly a fit, the responsibilities may be molded to suit your skill set.

10. No one "has it all"
Achieving wild success in one area of life is bound to create some tension in another. It's nearly impossible to kick butt at work, cook a delicious dinner, spend quality time with family, and catch eight hours of sleep — at least all the time, anyway.

11. Follow your own goals
While she's hailed for her successes, Sandberg is adamant that being an executive is not for everyone. "Of course not everyone wants to jump into the workforce and rise to the top," she said. "Life is going to bring many twists and turns, and each of us have to forge our own path. I have deep respect for my friends who make different choices than I do, who choose the really hard job of raising children full-time, who choose to go part-time, or who choose to pursue more nontraditional goals. These are choices that you may make someday, and these are fine choices."