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.

Episode 101: Your Work, Your Private Life

“I’ve always been quite guarded with revealing details about my personal life as I wouldn’t really want that information to be out there, out of my control.”

— Marie, UK listener

“I don’t want to go out of my way to play mental games and think, how can I do my part to make sure this person is comfortable by my constructing a false reality?”

— Dorie Clark

dorie clark

The boundaries between work and home are fraying all the time. We spend work time doing personal stuff, and time at home working. We talk about our personal lives at work too, and vice versa. But some of us aren't comfortable sharing much about our home lives with colleagues - we like our boundaries. Yet not sharing can put us at odds with a world where everyone's connected on social media. My first guest Marie guards her privacy, but wonders if she's hurting her career by being circumspect. My second guest, Dorie Clark, has similar experiences, but a different take on openness at work.  

You can also read a transcript of the show. 

I want to hear from you after you've heard this one - as she says in the show, Marie is keen to get other people's takes on her situation. Please post below if you have any experiences to share.

Further reading:

Human Rights Watch issued a report last year on LGBT rights in Kazakhstan.

Here's a BBC report on the latest poll on Nigerian attitudes to same-sex relationships. 

And here's more information and a photo of that sign at the airport in Accra, Ghana. 

Episode 100: Owning It - an Interview with Sallie Krawcheck

“I could have dressed him down. What would have happened then? He would have been embarrassed. But so would everybody else have been. And you know who would have gotten the blame for it, right? Because he was their bud. So it would have been me.”

— Sallie Krawcheck

For years Sallie Krawcheck was one of the few famous women on Wall Street. She earned millions of dollars, had a huge office, and the use of a private jet. A few years ago all that changed when she made the switch to entrepreneurship.

Sallie Krawcheck

In this interview we talk about the relationship between her gender and her firing from Citibank, why she won't shut up about diversity, stodgy company cultures, and handling sexism at work.

Sallie is the author of a new book called Own It, and the co-founder and CEO of Ellevest, and investment platform for women. 

You can also read a transcript of the show.

Broad Experience Shorts: Going on Leave

“Too often I’ve heard from clients, ‘I’m not sure what’s gonna happen when I come back, what are they gonna expect from me? What are they gonna say about me?’ ”

— Rachael Ellison

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Rachael Ellison

In this week's mini-show Rachael Ellison is back to talk about leave. She says delegation plays a big part in having a successful leave, but more importantly, a successful return.

Whether you're going on parental leave or you suddenly have to take care of a sick parent, your exit can be fraught with uncertainty. Then there are the unexpected surprises that await you when you get back. Rachael talks about ways that employee, boss and team can work together to plan for a smooth absence. 

Rachael is working with the Center for Parental Leave Leadership. 

Do you have a story about leave you'd like to share? I'm particularly keen to hear from people outside the US, from cultures where a year-long maternity leave is normal. 

You can also read a transcript of the show. 

Episode 99: Hate to Delegate

“The women I work with are very uncomfortable with delegation...I think there’s a sense of wanting to do your best in every sphere of your life and wanting to control that outcome. ”

— Rachael Ellison

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Photo by Jason Truscott, used with creative commons license.

“Men are raised to believe that it’s okay to receive support, and women are raised to believe that they are the ones who have to give support. ”

— Jodi Detjen

A lot of women admit it: we have trouble delegating. How many times have you said, "It's just easier if I do it"? But you can't pull off a senior role - or avoid burnout - without giving some of your work to other people. In this show we look at the cultural reasons why women shy away from delegation, and how we can get more comfortable with it.

My guests are coach and consultant Rachael Ellison and management professor Jodi Detjen.

You can also read a transcript of the show.