Friday, November 13, 2009

The "Good Old Boys Club" is Alive and Well...

Don't kid yourself, it is very much a major obstruction to women trying to break the glass ceiling. If you're a man, please take note - do your part and help create an environment where you can fully support your female superiors if you respect and admire their work. If they're good to you and you like working for them, protect yourself and your own position/career by creating ways to work around the "Club".

Trust me, men can always find something in common with a woman. In today's world, many people (men and women alike), are interested in many of the same things - such as family, politics, fishing, camping, boating, snowmobiling, antiques, cross country or regular skiing...and the list goes on. Even if you and/or your woman executive is not into physical activity, there is always something of interest you can talk about with each other. The same old drinking, football, baseball, working out, racquet ball, tennis, golf, and the typical "water cooler" talk doesn't really cut it anymore, unless the woman executive happens to be interested in one of those things too. (This is more likely to happen with women under 50.)

If your desire is to rid yourself and your company of an upwardly mobile woman, then the Good Old Boys Club can be a cruel way to keep her isolated and out of the loop. However, if she happens to be the right person for the job and your future (as a man), wouldn't it be in your best interest to do your part to be a modern executive and rid yourself of the burdens and stigmas of the past? Not to mention the risks involved of potential claims of gender bias, etc. Real men are not threatened by smart women - they enjoy their company and intellectual challenge.