Dismissed in business conversations?

[ny biker]

I think it's important to look at it this way: they're not men, they're people. We're all people. If you're focused on gender differences, how can you expect others to overlook them? Same for age. Who cares if someone is old enough to be your father or young enough to be your daughter? If you're colleagues, that's what is most important.

[Cataboo]

Maybe I've just had good experiences, but I've never noticed gender biases or class differences in the biological sciences. (OKay, so I've known some phds who were absolutely terrible to any people in their labs... and I think that was just they were mean people that would torture anyone they could get away with torturing, even if it was fellow phds who wouldn't stand up for themselves) Yes, most of the tenured professors tend to be old men, but most of them at this point don't have a choice in taking women seriously. My graduate school class was 13 females. We did have 1 token male, but he was doing the 1 year certificate program to try to get into med school. And old men professors seem to not have too much problems with ending up with a lab full of smart females that look up to them as a mentor.

But, I was always taken seriously and my opinions sought - as a high school student working in a military lab, a college student in a lab, as a grad student or as a post-doc. And I can't say that I ever really observed class differences, but then I've never been the top of the chain. As a grad student or post-doc, you're pretty aware that you need to be in the lab technicians good graces. But lab technicians, high school or college students, etc. were always invited to sit in on meeting about a project they were working on, and they were listened to - because they were the ones actually doing the work.

I won't say that I'm not disgruntled with the whole academia, post-doc, etc - but it's not about being female or not being taken seriously because of my level or anything like that.

[Mr. Bloom]

I think it's important to look at it this way: they're not men, they're people. We're all people. If you're focused on gender differences, how can you expect others to overlook them? Same for age. Who cares if someone is old enough to be your father or young enough to be your daughter? If you're colleagues, that's what is most important.

Well said!

[ginny]

Well, I never experienced it either until I moved out of academia and into a company ... and I'm in Wyoming - that could have something to do with it. I have experienced maddening hierarchies (usually in gvmt labs), but in academia, I have found that one's brains speak much louder than one's degrees. I have also learned that those who really put much stock in the PhD after the name are usually narrow minded and petty to begin with...

[tangentgirl]

Nope, what I am really hoping is that we get lots of SBIR and STTR money and maybe some private money and make a new and cool company doing what I love with people I really like. I am SO stoked about the prospect of being involved in starting this new company.

Look at this as practice. If you are eventually starting your own business and asking people for money, then knowing how to jump into these conversations and not be dismissed will be a useful tool for you. Polish it now (without getting pulled into the gossip), and it will be much easier later.

[tc1]

I used to dis all of this networking stuff, too. I work in a field that used to be all male, and is still mostly male. I finally figured out, that you have to talk to these guys. Stand next to them whenever they form their little groups, and ask questions. Eventually the hardest part will be getting them to shut up and let you talk.

I gotta tell ya, if you thought as I did, that working with more women would be easier, you are wrong. We have more women in our workgroup now, and they have created so much strife and discontent through drama, that I am completely disillusioned and depressed. The latest is one woman screamed swear words at one of the men, then she complained to HR and lied about it, and HR is completely taking her side. Give me the old boys any day, they at least have the grace to apologize when they say something really crass and stupid.

[Mr. Bloom]

I work in a field that used to be all male, and is still mostly male.

Me too! I THOUGHT! But this thread prompted me to take note of something I hadn't noticed in my own office building.

My building houses the revenue areas for my company. We have 22 employees in the building, 14 of them are professional staff and 8 are adminstrative. Of the professional staff, 10 are women and 4 are men!

In banking, my casual observation is that the professional staff is usually 50/50 femaie/male...but it shifted in my own office...and I didn't even notice...

No wonder I'm comfortable on TE!