I have recently chosen to step down from a managerial position to a part time position at a company that has many more men than women, and is not an inclusive or diverse workplace.

Anonymous

March 14,2023 at 9:17PM UTC

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I have recently chosen to step down from a managerial position to a part time position at a company that has many more men than women, and is not an inclusive or diverse workplace. The women who used to be members of my team are not getting appropriate credit or consideration of their ideas. When a woman suggests a proposal or solution it is frequently ignored. Then, a man will parrot that same idea that the woman suggested a few minutes, weeks, or months ago, and the leaders will act as though it is a brilliant new insight. How can I help the women who used to work for me be heard and receive appropriate credit? I have never worked at a company that is so preferential to men.

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Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistMarch 14,2023 at 10:29PM UTC
Read about what the women in the Obama administration did:
The amazing tool that women in the White House used to fight gender bias
https://www.vox.com/2016/9/14/12914370/white-house-obama-women-gender-bias-amplification
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/09/13/white-house-women-are-now-in-the-room-where-it-happens/
https://bigthink.com/the-present/how-women-in-the-white-house-make-their-voices-heard/
https://www.thecut.com/2016/09/heres-how-obamas-female-staffers-made-their-voices-heard.html
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-the-women-on-obamas-staff-made-sure-their-voices-were-heard_n_57d94d9fe4b0aa4b722d79fe
AnonymousMarch 17,2023 at 12:15AM UTC
Thank you, I have shared some of the Vox article on the strategy with my former team. They loved it and plan to implement it regularly. I will encourage them to communicate with each other before important meetings, so they will be in alignment before the meeting starts.
AnonymousMarch 14,2023 at 10:53PM UTC
Document their ideas and voice those ideas in public forums.
Use all hands meetings. Department status meetings to get those ideas out in the open. These women need to own their brilliance and champion their ideas at every turn. Even when no one is really listening.
As someone who might be in meetings these women are not, you sing their praises and support their ideas by repeating them with their names attached. Be loud and consistent.
This is how male mentors support. They are broken records of repeating and repeating their mentees names, ideas and suggestions for advancement behind closed doors. They support even when no one cares. Eventually they make things happen and create opportunity for their folks by helping them own their ideas and find their place. I have not seen many women take this approach but have witnessed plenty of men do this successfully. Most take a matter of fact approach and are relentless but subtle in groups and in one on one meetings with leadership.
AnonymousMarch 17,2023 at 12:13AM UTC
Thank you for your advice, and I've copied/pasted some of your eloquent message. I'm not in as many meetings as I used to be, but this will remind me to be a vocal support in those that I do attend.
AnonymousMarch 14,2023 at 11:19PM UTC
Not sure you why you are still there, but the "good old boys" club needs to be broken up. I wish I knew how to do this internally, but it seems ingrained in their culture. I have had that happen to women who worked for me before, so I know how hard it is to buck the system. At some point, you may need to quit banging your head against the wall (because it feels good when you stop). I see you have started that process by stepping back. You could start looking elsewhere for a more inclusive place, possibly run by a woman CEO, and then start trying to hire the women you know to have good ideas and creativity out of the other company. If you feel adventurous and are in a position to do it, you could start your own consulting company and hire these women as your first hires. You would need a solid business plan and some solid venture capital to get that started, but it would serve them all right. Sorry, I'm just thinking out loud. I am as outraged about this sort of business practice as you are.
AnonymousMarch 17,2023 at 12:08AM UTC
Thank you, I've had a very fulfilling career at other companies and am now in my sixties. This company is paying me well for part time work, so as long as I don't get too frustrated I'll stay for a couple more years. I was able to better support the women on my team when I was f/t, but now that I'm part time, I haven't been sure how to advise them to stand up for themselves at this strange company, and your and the other women's responses have been very helpful. Thank you!
AnonymousMarch 15,2023 at 6:31PM UTC
I learned long ago by watching a very savvy woman to snatch that credit back in public.
I include humor in my public outings but everyone gets the point. It's not OK
AnonymousMarch 17,2023 at 12:02AM UTC
Thank you very much for the suggestion, and I'm now looking for some humorous "lines" to help my former team get credit. Oftentimes there is just one woman in the meeting, so I appreciate your strategy.
Bonnie CoventryMarch 15,2023 at 11:09PM UTC
Be the parrot of support first. Even if a guy says something first. You can say, 'Right, I like that you're agreeing with what Betty just was suggesting, seems like we are getting the buy in from the team" Good luck!
AnonymousMarch 16,2023 at 11:59PM UTC
Thank you, this is great advice, and I'm quoting you to my former team. I am not often in those meetings anymore because I'm working part time, so they need to do this.
AnonymousMarch 18,2023 at 6:33PM UTC
You have to become a parrot and also to memorialize in writing the things that you have defined, invented and or created. For example: at a meeting you come up with a great marketing idea. After the meeting send around in an email and cc yourself, all the attendees, HR and leadership to record the idea in writing. Add it to your calendar as an item. Take screenshots and then also blind cc your personal email. Then when the item comes up as a wow cool someone came up with it - resend around the original email to the top of the leadership chain reinforcing the fact that the item that is now being touted at the next great thing was in actual fact conceived by you. Be humble but also be clear that you expect a correction to the "birthed by" accolades that are being given to Joe Blow instead of you or your team. Problem solved.
AnonymousMarch 22,2023 at 11:55AM UTC
Thank you, we typically take notes in meetings, so we can implement this idea if we tag meeting notes where new ideas were introduced. This is great advice!