What would it look like if men swapped places with women at work?

Men are from Mars women are from Venus…But what if we didn’t just come to Earth from different planets ?

What if we are actually still living on different planets?

What if our experiences at work are so different that they are literally two different planets? Two realities? Like the workers in the example below…

Men face the pressure of being a provider and performing, but at work they are rewarded for their strong leadership, they are in positions of power, and they can say no to unpaid work.

Research shows that women are penalized if they say no or self promote and mothers face the maternal wall and motherhood penalty where they are not rewarded fairly for their performance. Yet 41% of working moms are also the main provider…

When a man becomes a Dad he is considered even MORE committed to his work due to his commitment to look after his family.

When a woman becomes a Mom she is considered LESS committed to her work due to her commitment to look after her family.

Same circumstance, two different realities, two different planets.

So how do we shift this?

Men often assume if women did what they do they would succeed. 

As Kristi Ribble, shared with me, this is not bad advice since on their planet this works. But the opposite is true on our planet. 

I also have to admit that I perpetuated the narrative that as a woman if you are facing barriers then working harder is the answer. It is…. Until you burnout!

And it’s not just that the men’s planet is different, their planet is blocking the path of the sun to our planet. There is a quirk in the solar system that provides them more heat and light and less heat and light to us. It’s not their fault. They didn’t design that system, they just live in it.

But what if there was a way of putting the two planets side by side? So both benefited equally and both kept their characteristics?

But to kick start that change in the solar system, men would have to move a little to the side. They would have to take that first step, because without the heat and light women don’t have the energy to take that step. When they get to the table they are burned out.

So how do we ask men to take that step?

In the same way I am still learning that my white saviorism and my nice racism does not help black women. I am learning from leaders like Mita Mallick, Minda Harts, Janice Gassam Asare, Rucika to shine the light and step aside.

Are you a man who wants to see the women in your life succeed?

Are you a man who can take a step to share the spotlight?

What helped you see that you were living on a different planet and that your advantages weren’t available to all?

What would you say to other men to help them see the difference?

What would it look like if you swopped positions with a woman in your company? 

Even a small shift at a cosmic scale can change the whole solar system. 

Watch my TEDx talk, where I share my perspective.  Share the talk with a female colleague and ask her what she sees each day at work and what makes her feel seen at work.