Women’s Equality in the Workplace: My Mistakes as a Male Manager

A few years ago, one of my team members expressed that I did not value her opinion because she is a woman.

Her opinion was related to a programming solution.

I felt devasted, and my heart sunk.

After the initial shock & emotions, we dug deeper into my behavior pattern and uncovered some corrective steps.

Following are a few points from my retrospective.

Our subconscious mind can influence our actions. Be empathic to what the other people see.

Please note: Equality is an enormous topic. This article is focused on my specific experience and how it changed me as a person.

#1. Daily behavior is a powerful indicator of how you think.

I audited how many times I publicly praised men vs. female colleagues during my reflection.

How often have I assigned a significant responsibility to women team members?

How often do I use “he” vs. “she” in my sentences and examples.

I know many other factors in these determinations, but remember, how your team members perceive your actions is more critical than your justifications.

Don’t just say you care but show it in your daily actions.

#2. Observing the belief system

Your instinct plays a significant role in your judgments, and intuition comes from your belief and subconscious mind.

I went back and audited my upbringing & cultural background. My relationship with my sister. I observed if an old belief influenced my conclusion.

For example, in any culture, it is customary to offer your help to pick a heavy item, but this act can offend your female coworker because it also indicates you don’t think women have strength.

#3. Learning about gender equality and company policies

I asked our HR team and some of my female friends about their experiences.

Our society still has examples of gender, color, and religious-based discrimination, which can cause bitterness and assumptions.

• Knowledge about gender discrimination can make you aware & wiser.
• You will better understand women’s irritation on this subject.
• If you illustrate fair treatment for all team members, they will feel supported to speak up.

#4. Be Empathic to coworkers and care about how someone feels

Sometimes it is more crucial to know how your staff members feel than your intentions.

See what the other person sees.

Be empathetic to your colleague’s feelings and not the logic behind your actions.

The first step is when a female coworker says something is wrong, believes them, and has a deeper conversation.

Good intentions are not enough, and you need to demonstrate them in your behavior.

Don’t just say you care but show it in your daily actions.

Upsetting a team member has taught me a significant life lesson. I don’t want you to repeat that mistake; instead, learn from my mishap and create a better workplace for all women staff members.

Build an environment that provides equal opportunities for all staff members to flourish in their career journey.

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This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.

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You may also like these posts on The Good Men Project:

Escape the Act Like a Man Box

What We Talk About When We Talk About Men

Why I Don’t Want to Talk About Race

The First Myth of the Patriarchy: The Acorn on the Pillow

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