Washroom Envy

In the federal government in 1985, I joined a small unit the one other officer was a woman, and our boss was also a woman. One day my colleague told me excitedly about a new development that was important for our work. The news was new to me. She had heard it first, from our boss, in the women’s washroom.

It took me less than a second to realize that the ‘old boys’ network’ had been replaced, and I was excluded!

After that, I became much more conscious of the systemic power of familiar networks. Not only can they influence day-to-day information sharing. They privilege some people and block others when it comes to awareness of advancement opportunities; recruitment of candidates; and the awarding of positions and promotions.