Good Guys

7

Meetings: Dangerous Places If You’re Not a Dude

In meetings, men typically have few concerns. We assume we’ll have a spot at the table. We speak up and expect to be heard. We are rarely interrupted, and we expect to receive full credit for our ideas. Historically speaking, meetings have been comfortable manspaces. But this is often not the case for our female colleagues. For many women—particularly those in male-dominated organizations—meetings can feel like an episode of Mad Men. Women report being talked over (manterrupted), dudes hijacking their ideas and dismissing their expertise, getting tasked with office housework, and sometimes tolerating male showboating designed to undermine their credibility or divert attention from their contributions. ...