By Alice J. Maxin*
Armstrong-Kiski Chapter
Scenario:
Company members A – G had the task of proposing one new approach to resolve a departmental budget shortfall.
Chairperson A called for budget proposal suggestions. Ideas sprouted and some took root. B and C voiced their opinions. D and E quietly took notes. F poured coffee and passed pastries while the meeting continued.
At the break, F hurried to the copy room to duplicate materials that G forgot to bring. D and E whispered about the proposed ideas. B and C encouraged G to support them in getting their proposal passed.
When the meeting resumed, E asked if it was okay to ask a question. Although the chairperson granted permission, no one listened. E’s voice was too soft and uncertain.
Although undercurrents of dissension rippled at voting time, no objections surfaced. The meeting ended with a majority vote to accept the proposal by B and C. Cleaning up after the meeting, D, E, and F grumbled about their opinions not mattering. They decided to circulate a department memo to that effect the next day.
Questions:
Which members are dissatisfied? Why?
Which members got their ideas adopted? Why?
Analysis:
B, C, and G are male. D, E, and F are female. A could be either. What does gender have to do with how people function in a business meeting?
Many women inadvertently volunteer to be invisible when in a meeting with both male and female participants. The behaviors exhibited by D, E, and F contribute to women in meetings not being taken seriously. Women in mixed gender meetings must develop survival techniques to succeed.
- Come prepared with personal notes about the ideas you want to present.
- If you are not in charge of the meeting, sit next to the person who is. Power radiates from the person in charge. Moreover, you will be seen every time the chairperson speaks. You are also in a position to see everyone else more easily.
- Occupy enough space at the table to be comfortable. Men tend to dominate by their physical stature and the amount of space they use for comfort.
- Do not let someone else take credit for your work/idea. Speak up with a clear, strong voice. Reinforce your presence as an essential part of the group.
- Personal grooming belongs in the ladies’ room. Never fix hair, clothing, or make-up at the meeting table.
- Be decisive. Indecision can resemble insecurity or incompetency.
- Unless it is your specific job responsibility, do not be coerced into doing traditional “woman’s work”: making coffee, serving treats, taking notes, providing copies, etc. When all are equals at the meeting, everyone should share the duties.
Do not volunteer to be invisible!
*Alice J. Maxin, in addition to being an author, speaker and coach, is president and founder of Panorama Coaching, a company dedicated to the empowerment, leadership, and success of professional women.
