solution

Patrick Jackson sat at the table, trying very hard to keep his mouth from dropping open. He and the other nine executive directors on John Pointer’s leadership council were completing their annual talent reviews, discussing various individuals on their teams who would be good candidates for promotion to director. Of course, the logistics of this advancement opportunity would be handled through the Learning and Development Department. But Patrick was well aware that the conversations that he and his fellow executive directors were having in John Pointer’s “closed room” meeting were going to be very influential in who was tapped and who wasn’t. John, vice president of marketing, and his team sitting around the table, represented a powerful segment of the leadership at Millenial. 20

The informal banter belied the seriousness of the discussion they were having. There were several candidates that were being considered for the two spots available. As names were raised, each executive director shared his experiences with that particular associate director. Some of the candidates generated enthusiasm. For example, Alan Witherspoon was especially well regarded. Steve Winter, Alan’s executive director and another senior leader on John’s team, had worked closely with Alan. Others had observed and heard enough about Alan that they felt comfortable speaking on his behalf. They spoke strongly in support of Alan, with Steve joking that they had attended the same school so of course he was a strong player. Alan’s achievements were enumerated and the praise was being laid on thick and heavy.?.?.?a little too much from Patrick’s perspective.

Patrick worked in a cross-functional team with Alan. His own experiences with Alan had not been as positive. He saw Alan’s performance as primarily self-serving. He also noticed that Alan was rather absent from the team, especially when they were in crunch time. Alan didn’t seem particularly open to feedback either. When Patrick sent out congratulations to the team to acknowledge their strong work in finishing the project, he also offered an opportunity for each team member to meet for a post-mortem discussion. While the project had ended successfully, there were many learning opportunities along the way that Patrick wanted to discuss with his team members—learning that could be used to make their next project go more smoothly. Additionally, Patrick wanted to enhance his own learning, so he was interested in a discussion that drew from their insights. Alan had opted not to take up this invitation, curtly declining.

Patrick was waiting to hear how Alicia Conrad, another associate director, was going to be discussed by his colleagues. He breathed a slight sigh of relief when James Valencio, a fellow executive director, started the discussion with positive comments. He said that she was motivated, that she could be counted on to exceed her clients’ expectations, and that she was quite strategic in her approach to problem solving. But James quickly qualified that statement. Yes, she could be counted on to exceed her clients’ expectations. But did she need additional support from her coworkers to perform at that level? James also had some questions about Alicia’s readiness to be promoted. “You know, she doesn’t have that much experience. I think we should give her a year or two more to get better prepared for the director role.” Patrick felt himself tense up—these concerns were issues that had consistently been raised… but only in regards to their female candidates. Women, and some men, in the organization had noticed this troubling trend. Although the Learning and Development Department was monitoring the promotion cycle, the ultimate decisions rested with the leadership team. And… old habits die hard.

One of the initiatives that Learning and Development sponsored was the Male Ally Program. The Male Ally Program had been initiated to address the dearth of women in senior leadership positions. Alicia was his partner in this program. Because of their interactions, Patrick knew firsthand how Alicia was showing up and impacting the business. He wondered if Alicia’s collaborative style was what James saw as “needing support.” There was still an old-fashioned, outdated definition of leadership in Millenial; “leaders” were expected to ride in on a white horse and save the day. But Patrick was well aware that leadership was exemplified with many different behaviors. A primary aspect of a leader is that he—or she or they—achieved identified goals. Indeed, Alicia and her team had successfully managed a large portfolio of clients, winning high satisfaction scores and scoring repeat business despite the challenging nature of some of the clients. She had done everything from meeting goals, supporting a team, to satisfying customers. Was it still not enough?

Clearly Alicia was successful in her role, and Patrick felt certain that she was ready for this promotion now, not in a year or two. But as James continued to share his concerns about Alicia, doubts about her were spreading across the room. Patrick wondered if he should speak up. But he was running out of time—they had spent so much time talking about Alan that they couldn’t give the same attention to Alicia. And anyway, what happened in that room would stay in that room. They agreed to one more quick meeting in a few days before sharing their candidates for promotion with Talent Management.

As Patrick left the room, he wondered again about the Male Ally Program—about his involvement and the organization’s commitment. Was Millenial really committed to this “initiative?” All of the men around the table were signed up for the program; some of them even had partners who were also being considered for this director role. Interestingly, Patrick was the only Male Ally to speak on behalf of his partner. This lack of advocacy was not surprising; many of the women in Millenial shared their concerns that the program had been thrown together and launched as a tool to quiet their loud voices. With enough time, those voices would be quelled—isn’t this what had happened in the past? Patrick believed that the program was an important initiative that held great promise for advancing women and increasing their presence in the senior ranks. “If anyone is going to take a stand, not just for Alicia but for the program as well, I believe I am going to have to be the one,” thought Patrick. But he understood that taking a stand could result in some challenges for him. His colleagues were not going to be pleased if he spoke up more strongly on Alicia’s behalf. So, he wanted to think carefully about the meeting next week.

Discussion Questions

What are the reasons that Patrick might choose not to advocate for Alicia?

How should he go about advocating for Alicia?

What does Patrick risk if he speaks out on her behalf?

What will happen if he opts to say nothing?

What tensions has the launch of the Male Ally Program raised in Millenial?