WE

Introduction

Would you turn down an idea to build a brand in a few years that results in more than $200 million in revenue? What if you could hire someone who doubled, tripled, or even improved your results ten-fold? If there was a simple way to increase your market share, would you take it? What if you knew that a coworker, whom you largely ignore, knew something that would contribute to your rapid promotion to senior vice president? Would you pay attention?

These are real circumstances in which men found themselves. The smart and savvy ones saw the opportunity and grabbed it by listening, hiring, or working well with a woman.

You are one of these men. You’re one of the good guys. You don’t enjoy succeeding at someone else’s expense. You are committed to fair play. You want to do the right things related to women in the workplace. You know you do. You see what’s going on in some companies. No one needs to explain how wrong it is to you. You are fed up. You are not part of the “bro culture.” You are embarrassed by the actions of some presidents, CEOs, and venture capitalists (VCs). You don’t want to be identified with them, or turn a blind eye any longer. Your wife, sister, mother, and/or daughter work, and they’ve told you about the difficult circumstances with which women deal in the workplace, and you don’t approve. You also want what’s best for your son. You want to be happier at work.

You respect women and know their value. You are well aware of the business case for ...