We all know it exists; but how do we prove it?
Recently I was fired from my position as international sales rep for a small company trying to break into the US Market.
During the first three months of my employment, I contacted hundreds of relevant companies and made serious inroads with potential distributors. Instead of aiding me in closing deals with the distributors, the management seemed to place obstacles in my path. They refused to provide specifications, prices, or documentation for mechanical parts.
The CEO was a misogynist and could not have a reasonable conversation with me, a woman.
After three months, to my surprise, he marched into my office and introduced me to my new boss, the new head of my department. I was instructed to pass all of my contacts over to the new man, which I did. Suddenly, all of my contacts and clients were out of my reach and in the hands of the new guy.
The new manager was not more educated than me; nor more experienced. He was, however, a man.
What choice did I have? I cooperated and tried to work as a department instead of alone. I arranged for the new boss to attend an international exposition to show off our wares. I set him up with appointments and produced a presentation for him to show at the expo.
After 3 more months, the new boss was replaced by a newer boss. We had collected so many potential projects that the CEO felt that he needed an MBA to run the show. I agreed that we needed a more knowledgeable manager to handle the logistics of all the new opportunities I had found. (Since the CEO would not or could not work with me.)
But instead of using my talents for finding, contacting and establishing trusting relationships with new customers, the MBA asked me to make coffee and sandwiches.
He said that all of my contacts were inferior and that I had done little for the company during my tenure. A week later, he was flying to New York to meet with all of my, "inferior contacts." I had to find out through the office grapevine that he was flying off to sign contracts with 4 distributors that I had originally negotiated.
Soon after, he fired me. The CEO didn't like women; and the MBA found it embarrassing that he knew, and I knew, that all of the business had been found by me.
Nothing is new in this sad story; and nothing that I can prove. Okay, it happened to me. Will it also happen to my daughters? My granddaughters?
Must we accept subtle discrimination?
The United Nations and the larger Multi-national Companies provide questionnaires on their tenders. They have questions concerning the treatment of women. The UN is concerned with Women's Rights and the International companies want to avoid being sued.
The Europeans request, "Fair Trade," certification on manufactured products. This addresses the problems of child labor and unfair employee treatment.
Recently I was fired from my position as international sales rep for a small company trying to break into the US Market.
During the first three months of my employment, I contacted hundreds of relevant companies and made serious inroads with potential distributors. Instead of aiding me in closing deals with the distributors, the management seemed to place obstacles in my path. They refused to provide specifications, prices, or documentation for mechanical parts.
The CEO was a misogynist and could not have a reasonable conversation with me, a woman.
After three months, to my surprise, he marched into my office and introduced me to my new boss, the new head of my department. I was instructed to pass all of my contacts over to the new man, which I did. Suddenly, all of my contacts and clients were out of my reach and in the hands of the new guy.
The new manager was not more educated than me; nor more experienced. He was, however, a man.
What choice did I have? I cooperated and tried to work as a department instead of alone. I arranged for the new boss to attend an international exposition to show off our wares. I set him up with appointments and produced a presentation for him to show at the expo.
After 3 more months, the new boss was replaced by a newer boss. We had collected so many potential projects that the CEO felt that he needed an MBA to run the show. I agreed that we needed a more knowledgeable manager to handle the logistics of all the new opportunities I had found. (Since the CEO would not or could not work with me.)
But instead of using my talents for finding, contacting and establishing trusting relationships with new customers, the MBA asked me to make coffee and sandwiches.
He said that all of my contacts were inferior and that I had done little for the company during my tenure. A week later, he was flying to New York to meet with all of my, "inferior contacts." I had to find out through the office grapevine that he was flying off to sign contracts with 4 distributors that I had originally negotiated.
Soon after, he fired me. The CEO didn't like women; and the MBA found it embarrassing that he knew, and I knew, that all of the business had been found by me.
Nothing is new in this sad story; and nothing that I can prove. Okay, it happened to me. Will it also happen to my daughters? My granddaughters?
Must we accept subtle discrimination?
The United Nations and the larger Multi-national Companies provide questionnaires on their tenders. They have questions concerning the treatment of women. The UN is concerned with Women's Rights and the International companies want to avoid being sued.
The Europeans request, "Fair Trade," certification on manufactured products. This addresses the problems of child labor and unfair employee treatment.
