Office Politics Archives

Posted on

#MeToo, Harassment, Leadership & Management, Office Politics

Why Male Mentors in the #MeToo Era Must “Engage More, Not Run for the Hills”

A few years ago, David M. Yousem thought nothing of having a closed-door mentoring session with a young female scientist. Now, he asks if she would be more comfortable with the door open or closed. A naturally effusive person, he knows better than to compliment a woman on her springlike attire or to offer a congratulatory hug for a paper that’s been accepted in a prestigious journal when a thumbs up will do. For Yousem, a professor of radiology at the Johns...

Read Post

by Andie & Al

Posted on

#MeToo, Compensation & Promotion, Equality & Diversity, Fighting Stereotypes & Breaking Biases, Harassment, Leadership & Management, Office Politics

How Do Your Workers Feel about Sexual Harassment? Ask Them

If your business is serious about eliminating the risk of sexual harassment — and it should be — you need to approach the problem comprehensively. This means recognizing that sexual harassment is part of a continuum of interconnected behaviors that range from gender bias to incivility to legally actionable assault. All these kinds of misconduct should be addressed collectively because sexual harassment is far more likely in organizations that experience offenses on the “less severe” end of the spectrum than...

Read Post

by Andie & Al

Posted on

Equality & Diversity, Motherhood bias, Office Politics, Sexism

Looking for a Cure for Bias?

Do you struggle with whether or not to tell someone a piece of food is stuck to a tooth or their chin? If performing this helpful act makes you uncomfortable, how likely are you to point out someone’s bias as many suggest that we do? Mixed reactions greet those courageous enough to call out bias. Some emotionally intelligent individuals accept the feedback and work to be more impartial. Others, however, when advised of a bias, react defensively; deeply offended in the...

Read Post

by Andie & Al

Posted on

Equality & Diversity, Leadership & Management, Office Politics, Politics, Sexism

Gender Equality is Now a Political Issue

We have always thought that the great disparity in women’s and men’s career achievements was a clear and objective indication that the sexes are not treated equally in the workplace. Women have, unquestionably, made impressive gains as they have entered historically male-dominated career paths. For example, in 1980, men were twice as likely as women to have managerial jobs; today women are just as likely as men to hold such positions. Nevertheless, the gender achievement gap remains wide in most leadership...

Read Post

by Andie & Al

male employee and female employee working on a computer after hours

Posted on

Equality & Diversity, Fighting Stereotypes & Breaking Biases, Gender Communication Techniques, Office Politics, Sexism

Why It’s So Tough for Women to Find Male Mentors in the Workplace

A Harvard Business Review research report concluded that the primary factor “keeping women under the glass ceiling” is “the absence of male advocacy.” The report found that high-performing women simply are not getting the male mentorship they need to reach the top because they are not interacting in business contexts on a one-on-one basis with the senior men in their organizations. Without such interactions, male leaders lack the familiarity, knowledge, and incentive to sponsor women and advocate for their career...

Read Post

by Andie & Al

Posted on

Advocating for Yourself, Equality & Diversity, Office Politics

Google’s Gender Mess (Our Views Might Surprise You)

Unless you’ve been mountain climbing in the Himalayas this past week, you’ve heard about, if not read in its entirety, James Damore’s memo criticizing Google’s gender diversity policies. Damore, 26, worked in Silicon Valley for Google as a software engineer until he was fired on August 7th. In, “Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber,” Damore argues that “left bias has created a politically correct monoculture [at Google with respect to diversity and inclusion] that maintains its hold by shaming dissenters into silence.” Damore...

Read Post

by Andie & Al

Posted on

Life Balance & Positive Mindsets, Office Politics, Sexism, Stereotype Threat

Stereotype Threat: Why Women Feel More Stress at Work

Everyone in today’s supercharged workplaces experiences stress. Yet executive and professional women consistently experience more stress, anxiety, and psychological distress than do men. There are, undoubtedly, a variety of reasons for this — more domestic responsibilities, having been socialized to say “yes” to all requests, and receiving lower pay for similar work immediately come to mind. But, based on our experience coaching and mentoring thousands of women and men over the years, we believe women experience more workplace stress than...

Read Post

by Andie & Al

Posted on

Gender Communication Techniques, Goldilocks Dilemma, Office Politics

Authenticity Doesn’t Prevent Communication-Based Biases

In her book Feminist Fight Club, recently excerpted on Fast Company, author Jessica Bennett writes about the “persistent double standard” that “women face in the office every time we open our mouths. Use too many stereotypically ‘feminine’ speech patterns, and you risk falling victim to gender bias and undercutting your authority. But carefully prune those habits from the way you talk, and you not only sacrifice your own authenticity but risk being penalized by those same sexist biases as too...

Read Post

by Andie & Al

Posted on

Compensation & Promotion, Equality & Diversity, Fighting Stereotypes & Breaking Biases, Gender Communication Techniques, Goldilocks Dilemma, Office Politics

Sexual Harassment in the Fast Lane

Imagine yourself in your dream job. You love your job, and you are using most of your skills. You have learned a lot, and you are recognized for your contributions. But, then, your manager seems interested in you, and it soon takes the form of sexual overtures. You politely say that you are not interested, but the overtures continue and affect your comfort in your workplace. You finally work up the confidence to report your concerns to management, and you learn...

Read Post

by Andie & Al

Posted on

Advocating for Yourself, Compensation & Promotion, Equality & Diversity, Gender Communication Techniques, Leadership & Management, Office Politics

Mary Tyler Moore: A Woman Who Spoke Up

Fifty years ago, Mary Tyler Moore brought a totally new concept to television: an ambitious woman, in her thirties, and single, who wanted a successful career. Women on television were routinely cast as stay-at-home mothers who took care of the children, enjoyed cooking, and provided support for their working husbands. Not Mary Tyler Moore. She gave women a role model who was prepared to compete on equal terms with her male counterparts. Mary Tyler Moore showed women they could voice their...

Read Post

by Andie & Al