Mean girls in the workplace?
Women supporting each at work can mean mentoring, sponsorship and providing equal access to job opportunities. However, there are basic expectations that when not met are equally damaging.
I was once asked to give a talk to a group of emerging leaders in the company. The goal was to recognize their accomplishments while inspiring them to continue to strive for excellence. After the speech, the organizers praised it saying that I knocked it out of the park. I felt happy to have helped.
What I didn’t realize was that I had a huge glob of lipstick on the front of my teeth. It was so large that it would have been impossible for the organizers to have not seen it.
Rather than feel embarrassed, I felt an overwhelming sense of confusion around why the organizers would have seen yet not said anything. So I asked.
The response shocked me. One said that she didn’t notice it it. Interestingly though, the other noted that she saw it but didn’t say anything.
I don’t know what shocked me more – the fact that she saw it and didn’t say anything or the fact that she ADMITTED that she saw it yet didn’t say anything.
Is it reasonable to expect that a coworker would help in this way?
Would you have said anything?
Have you encountered mean girls at work?
Alonda Williams 