Gender Issues Won't 'Go Away'

04/06/2015

Gender Issues Won't 'Go Away'

Warning “you can’t just hide” from the problem of workplace sexism, Ellen Pao says Silicon Valley must continue to work on the issues brought up in her loss to venture capital-firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in a much-watched gender-bias trial.

“You need to work through these issues,” Ms. Pao said in her first interview since the March 27 verdict, “because they are here and they’re not going to go away.”

A jury ruled that Kleiner didn’t discriminate against Ms. Pao, who struggled in vain to be promoted beyond junior partner and ultimately was fired. But she says that having her private life scrutinized during the three-year ordeal since she first sued Kleiner was still worth it.

“It’s not my personality to be out there, and I’m also by nature a very private person, so for me it was a little bit scary,” Ms. Pao, 45, said. “I’m glad I did it. But it was hard.”

Although the treatment of women in Silicon Valley has long been an issue, the case focused a spotlight on the inner-workings of a generally secretive VC industry.

Testimony included revelations of an affair between Ms. Pao and another partner, and accusations of a boys-club atmosphere with no clear track for partnership promotions.

Ms. Pao’s personality was also put on trial, with Kleiner attorneys and some witnesses characterizing her as passive-aggressive, disloyal and generally ineffective. “Everything about Ellen Pao was wrong for the point-person role” addressing sexism, said Lynne Hermle, the attorney for Kleiner who cross-examined Ms. Pao about her affair and emails in which she criticized co-workers.

Ms. Pao’s attorneys sought to counter that narrative by saying she excelled in many ways and was a supportive colleague, but was treated unfairly during her seven-year career at Kleiner.

“I think everyone has their own perspective, and some people can’t relate to me, and that’s okay,” Ms. Pao said.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, April 6, 2015

When Doing It All Won't Do: A Self-Coaching Guide for Career Women--Workbook Edition--Paperback

Improving the Quality of Your Life By Author M.B. Tosi on April 1, 2013

Every now and then a person runs across a great book that really helps improve the quality of life. This is such a book! Written by top coaches of executive women, Barb McEwen and John Agno, the goal of When Doing It All Won’t Do is to develop solutions and strategies to help women’s lives be easier, richer, happier, and saner. It’s based on the premise that doing it all won’t do. If you are a woman who is weary and stressed and taking on too much and struggling to juggle it all, this book is dedicated to helping you find the enjoyment and satisfaction you expected with your success. Well-organized with real solutions and a helpful workbook section, this book focuses on developing your signature talents to do what you do best, developing a formula for success, and prioritizing your values and goals. A great read!

Women, Know Thyself: The most important knowledge is self-knowledge.