Just imagine you were working in an organization and you were being marginalized. Only you didn’t know it. Women are often unaware of the subtle discrimination at work.
I was meeting with a prospect. He told me that as a manager his subordinates would often suggest that he golf with them. Not wanting to show any favoritism, he would suggest that the group golf together. In his group, most of the women didn’t golf. So even though he invited them, they were not likely to attend.
That meant the guys had a weekend outing of bonding and building friendships all without the women. I’ve seen all too often in business how promotions are given. Of all the employees whose work is good, the promotion goes to the one who is known, liked and trusted. Weekend golf games are the perfect venue to get known, liked and trusted.
Women who don’t golf lose.
When he told me this, I thought about the options that women have. Not many. It’s not like you can suggest to your manager that he go with you to a spa. The nail salon? Hardly.
Golf can be a real business issue for women. If you find that your team golfs regularly, I would take up the sport. You can’t miss the opportunity to build relationships with your manager. It’s different if golf is just an occasional team building activity.
Discrimination can be a subtle activity. Knowing what to look for is the first step to avoid its consequences. The next step is to make sure that you do something about it.