Episode 190: Difficult Relationships: managing drama at work

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“I think friendships with mentors can be tricky...Red flags should go up if you’ve got a mentor saying, ‘Oh no, you should not go in this direction, go in that direction.’”
— Stacey Vanek Smith

stacey vanek smith

Business and economics reporter Stacey Vanek Smith has not only reported on the gender pay gap and workplace discrimination, she’s experienced it firsthand. But it hasn’t put her off the workplace. Far from it. In her book, Machiavelli for Women, she explores how women can thrive in a setting that was not designed for them.

In this show - the tenth anniversary episode of The Broad Experience - we focus on a few areas that are rarely discussed, in particular the relationships women have with other women at work, and how to manage them when things get tricky. We delve into the inequities mothers face after coming back from parental leave, and our shared experience of receiving vague, discouraging and useless feedback - and what to do next.

You can also read a transcript of the show.

Stacey last appeared on The Broad Experience in the episode On Confidence.

Episode 189: Stop Telling Women to Find an Equal Partner

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“I had moved and made multiple accommodations for my husband’s job. And this was finally the big moment where I needed his accommodations. And...that was the moment that my marriage fell apart.”
— Bobbi Thomason

Bobbi Thomason

Bobbi Thomason studies gender for a living. She was aware of the pitfalls couples can fall into, even those who assumed their relationship would be absolutely equal. Still, when her own marriage foundered over career equality (or the lack of it), she was gutted. At the same time she was reading social media comments urging women to demand a ‘50/50 partner.’ ‘I tried that,’ she thought, ‘and it didn’t work.’

In this episode we hear Bobbi’s story. She says sticking to her belief that she deserved a partner as willing to sacrifice for her as she was for him, has cost her a great deal. But she’s learned through academic research and personal experience that support comes in many forms, and that all women need a ‘village’ to get ahead.

You can also read a transcript of the show.

Further reading: Stop Telling Women They Just Need an Equal Partnership at Home by Bobbi Thomason.

If You Can’t Find a Spouse Who Supports Your Career, Stay Single by Avivah Wittenberg-Cox.

Here’s Bobbi’s doctoral dissertation on women’s rise to executive leadership in the Middle East and Africa.