HBR's Women at Work Collection

Introduction

You sit down in a meeting and begin to speak, describing an innovative new product you’d like to release in the next year. Within a few moments, you’re interrupted by a male coworker, and despite your best efforts, you can’t get back into the conversation. Five minutes later another male colleague reiterates the need for the new product, and the table nods in acknowledgment, thanking him for his idea.

Frustrated, you walk out of the meeting, feeling more invisible than ever. A moment later, your boss stops at your desk: “The prep work you did for the meeting was really helpful, but next time you present, you should have more confidence. You never got your point across.”

Sound familiar? This scenario and others like it are all too ...