Note from Femme Palette: This article was originally published on LinkedIn by Doron Avraham, and we are sharing it here on our blog with his permission.
Last Thursday (Femme Palette note: the event took place on 19th September) I visited the “Women in Tech” event organized by Femme Palette. The event included a couple of panel discussions and multiple talks given by brilliant and inspiring women. What struck me most was the atmosphere of openness, vulnerability and honesty accompanied by great humor and mutual support. It was a complete contrast to the generally more dry tech events I regularly frequent. I loved it! During the event there was one phrase that frequently came up: “The boys’ club”.
Every time it was mentioned the whole audience reacted in recognition. I kept asking myself, What exactly is this club? Who are its members? Am I a member? Thankfully women like Silvana Rosales and Laura Hlaváček were around to help and share some insights on the matter and the reality is that if you are a man working in a men dominant industry you are probably part of the club. While the event was full, I could only see three other men. It felt like a missed opportunity for men to learn and be part of the change we want to see in our culture. These realizations motivated me to write this article in order to raise awareness amongst men and start a conversation about how to prevent the perpetuation of the boys' club culture.
The fewer women on the team, the greater the chance their ideas and needs may be overlooked. In addition they might need to work twice as hard to earn the same recognition as their male counterparts.
Cultivate Awareness: Acknowledge that unconscious bias exists. This is especially critical in a group setting where bias may be collectively reinforced and hard to identify. Make sure all voices are being heard and regularly ask yourself, “If it were a man, would I handle this differently?”
At first this question might seem absurd but on a couple occasions I found myself thinking long about the answer.
Activities that primarily appeal to men like sports tournaments, golf or a poker night can alienate female team members while reinforcing the connection between men.
Promote Inclusivity: When organizing team-building events, choose activities that are inclusive and actively ensure that all team members feel comfortable participating.
Separate Socializing from Success: Participation in after-work activities should not influence promotion decisions. Women still disproportionately handle caregiving tasks such as tending to children and the elderly. Promoting someone based on their ability to socialize puts women at a great disadvantage.
As a manager you might assign non technical tasks such as documentation and organization to a female team member simply because “women are good at it.” I’ve fallen into this trap a couple of times, believing I was doing the right thing and enhancing the well-being of the assignee and the entire team. Such actions might inadvertently hurt the team member's career as non technical work might be seen as less promotable.
Fair assignments distribution: The fact that someone is good at something does not mean it should be their main responsibility. Non technical assignments or glue work should be fairly distributed amongst all team members.
When a female colleague presents a new idea, it may be taken as a starting point for someone else's concept, often leaving her without any credit.
Give Proper Credit: Ensure that recognition is attributed to the right individuals. Actively seek out other contributors when celebrating achievements.
Tasteless and sexist jokes create a hostile environment.
Speak Up: Confronting such behavior may be uncomfortable. Try finding an appropriate time to bring up the issue, such as during a team meeting or a one-on-one discussion. Frame it constructively and express how these comments affect others and you personally.
Big thank you goes to Marie-Theres Grasberger and Bianca Grassi for lending me their wisdom and support while writing this article.
