Episode 107: Expect the Unexpected

“Things have just happened that have turned my life in a totally different direction than I ever planned on.”

— Lauren Tucker

Lauren Tucker

Lauren Tucker was like a lot of other women who've been working in corporate life for years - itching to go out on her own. So she did. But things didn't turn out the way she expected. In this show we talk about dashed hopes, reinvention in a new place, why diversity in the ad business still sucks, and caring for your parents when everything around you is falling apart.  

You can also read a transcript of the show. 

Here you'll find the first Broad Experience episode Lauren appeared in.

Episode 106: Authenticity vs. Conformity (re-release)

“You just don’t know what path to follow. Should I be more deferential? Well, but isn’t the fact that I’m outspoken and focused and determined why I’ve been successful so far?”

— Lauren Tucker

Going up?

Authenticity is a buzzword that crops up a lot. We're all meant to 'be ourselves' at work. But how realistic a goal is that for women, really?

In this show, originally released in 2014, I speak to Sylvia Ann Hewlett, author of the book Executive Presence. Sylvia says women have to find the right balance of being themselves and having the perfect combination of gravitas, communication skills and appearance to get to the top. Lauren Tucker is pretty much there. Still, she says meshing her forthright personality with the workplace is no picnic, even at her level. And why should she even have to try?

We'll hear from Lauren Tucker again on an upcoming show. 

For a transcript of this show go to the original show page.

Episode 105: The Assistant

“You need to have serious ambition but on behalf of the person you’re supporting, not on behalf of yourself.”

— Jessica Williams

Jessica Williams

“I want to be so much better at what I do...I’m very content to support a person who’s in charge, and having them trust me and know that I’ve got their back.”

— Janel Wallace

Janel Wallace

A few years ago I found out the most popular job for women in America is the same as it was in the 1950s - administrative assistant, or secretary. I was shocked. How could this be, in an era where women are more educated than men? Why are so many of us still working to support other people - mostly men - rather than pursuing something for ourselves?

I set out to tackle those questions in this show, and take a look at the assistant role as it exists now. Typing and dictation are largely out, while managing executives' lives and company projects are in. But traditional aspects of the job remain. This is a role women still flock to, and are sought for, while men are largely absent. 

My guests are Jessica Williams, who heads the recruitment firm Sidekicks in London, and Janel Wallace, an executive assistant at a global company based in the US. 

Further reading: Jessica Williams wrote this piece for the Guardian on tackling 'acceptable sexism' in her industry. 

This is an interview with Lynn Peril who wrote a book about the history of the profession called Swimming in the Steno Pool. 

You can also read a transcript of the show. 

Episode 104: Starting Over

“As I started to gain more success, I started to gain more confidence. That made me feel more comfortable drawing boundaries or saying, ‘This is what I need...’ Our relationship was just fully unprepared for that kind of equality.”

— Brooke Lark

Brooke Lark

Brooke in the middle with her boyfriend Jordan (r) and three of her kids

Brooke Lark was raised to think having a career was selfish and motherhood was sacred. She had four children by the age of 29 and never expected to work outside the home. But as she began to have more contact with the outside world, the certainties of her religion began to crumble. At 35 she was faced with a whole new prospect - not only working, but being the main breadwinner for her family.  

In this show we hear Brooke's story of being raised Mormon, losing her religion, and joining a workplace she had no idea how to navigate.

You can also read a transcript of the show.

Episode 103: Conservative State of Mind

“One of the male representatives from a very conservative area stood up and said, ‘We don’t need more childcare, we need to do away with the need for childcare!’ ”

— Patricia Jones

Patricia Jones (photo by Andrea smardon)

“I always made it a point to sit next to Republican men. Of course most of them were so it wasn’t difficult. But I made it a point not to just sit with women, because you build relationships in that way. ”

Patricia Jones was born and raised in Utah, a state with a conservative bent and one of the highest wage gaps in the US. 60% of the population is Mormon. But belonging to a conservative faith never stopped Pat from having a family and a career, first running a business, then as a politician.

In her latest role at the Women's Leadership Institute she's on a mission to raise the status of women at work and in public life in Utah. And that means persuading a lot of pale males that it's a good idea. 

You can also read a transcript of the show. 

Thanks to Andrea Smardon for taping Pat's side of the conversation in Salt Lake City.

Further reading: 

Gender Equality Isn't Political - See Utah for Proof by Patricia Jones, published in Fast Company.

Facts about Women in Utah - from the Utah Department of Workforce Services

Since When is Being a Woman a Liberal Cause? by Susan Chira, the New York Times.

Episode 102: When Women Work For Free (re-release)

“A closed mouth don’t get fed.”

— Adrienne Graham's dad

“There is an expectation in some ways that women are going to give, that we’re going to be supportive. It’s how we’re raised, and the messages we get.”

— Kathy Caprino

This week we're re-visiting an episode I first put out in 2014. I still feel strongly about this topic. Too often women are asked to give their services for nothing, and too often we comply. The rest of the time we tend to undervalue ourselves and charge less for our work than we should. I should know, I've done it a lot. This show with Adrienne Graham and Kathy Caprino went a long way to getting me comfortable charging for my time and expertise. I hope it does the same for others.

You can get more links on this topic at the original episode page.

You can also read a transcript of the show.