Maybe I’m not the only one in business who thinks this way?
I have a lovely and extremely clever wife, Karen. We are co-directors in three different businesses and what makes this possible is that we trust each other completely and we KNOW with absolute certainty that we have each other’s back, every minute, of every day.
Karen will tell you I have lots of wives. Running wives, London wives, Ex-military wives, you get the idea. The truth is I have always found the company of women far more interesting than men. They have a better sense of humour than most men and are far more fun socially.
In business they just get on and do stuff, without grandstanding or whingeing about it, which means they often cover much more ground. They are generally more organised than men and invest more time in relationships to make them work. They are also very tenacious, which means opportunities seldom slip by, ask any married man!
So, I find it unnerving and slightly uncomfortable when I hear and see news and posts on various social media, including LinkedIn that relate to bias against women in the workplace.
I immediately feel defensive, as if they are aimed at me. That’s the decent bloke psyche kicking in of course, immediate gender related guilt for nothing I have done, but it’s there, nonetheless. It’s probably a good trait, in a modern business environment.
We are currently looking at another opportunity and the candidate is female, if she is right for the role, that’s all that matters. I simply don’t understand why men would act against women in that way. It’s not decent behaviour and certainly not good business.
Supporting women in the workplace and developing their careers is a no brainer, to ensure they become the very best person in that role. Stifling success is plain stupidity. If that means they eventually move on to larger opportunities, I won’t feel aggrieved about that success, we will celebrate it and the value they brought to our business.
I’d like to think that we create a working space with a balance of life and work, that works for everyone. As far as I’m concerned, the best person for the job, will always be, the best person for the job, gender doesn’t come into it.
It’s not difficult, to create a supportive space for women in business, just make it a supportive environment for everyone, oh and have some fun at the same time.
Have a great day

Business women make a huge contribution to the economy