Comment by DoreenMichele
7 years ago
So is grandstanding by people with well paid, cushy as hell jobs who are happy to point fingers.
My mother always told me "When you point a finger at others, you have three fingers pointing back at you." What are these people personally doing to ensure that they are respecting women, creating the right kind of social climate at work, etc?
Because all the policy in the world can't per se fix a shitty culture. Shitty culture is as shitty culture does and it is perpetuated by every single individual in the organization and their individual choices.
I'm not impressed with people who point fingers. They are usually people wanting someone else to fix a problem so they don't have to actually change.
> What are these people personally doing to ensure that they are respecting women, creating the right kind of social climate at work, etc?
Part of the reason to go to the walkout was to find out what to do. People didn't just stand there doing nothing. They listened to women speak about their experiences and ask for specific, concrete actions from attendees that would lead to less sexual harassment, bias, and associated garbage.
Okay, cool. Is there some reason this piece couldn't be done after hours? (Or, alternately) Is there some reason this couldn't be framed as "We are taking time off to discuss this amongst ourselves and better understand the problem space" without it being framed as a walk-out with a flyer left on the desk filled with their opinion?
Do these things have to go hand in hand?
The company created a problem. It makes sense that their employees are using company time to work on fixing it.
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> What are these people personally doing to ensure that they are respecting women, creating the right kind of social climate at work, etc?
By handling interactions I have with women at work cognizant of the many ways in which their experience in the workplace differs from mine.
Also, I think about my daughter, and how I'd want her to be treated if she worked here.
> They are usually people wanting someone else to fix a problem so they don't have to actually change.
I can't personally fix the problem of (IMO wrong) decisions made by management on these issues. But I can help increase the pressure (public and internal) on them to make concrete changes.
What? You asked, essentially, "why would they walking out if their CEO supports their cause?"
Although I thought the answer was a bit obvious, I answered... Words are cheap and the employees want to see action.
Your response is to talk about pointing fingers? I don't understand your point.
What do you have against Google employees making demands of their managers?
My mother always told me "When you point a finger at others, you have three fingers pointing back at you."
I'm pretty sure employees know that fingers are being pointed at them. Employees are constantly evaluated, and management places expectations on them (both work related and cultural) that those employees must meet, at penalty of termination.
It seems like you're questioning the idea that the fingers should point both ways... by saying that the fingers point both ways.
Yes, "words are cheap" is so obvious, it goes without saying. It doesn't add anything substantive to the discussion.
So saying that to me really doesn't cast any light whatsoever on this situation for me.
If someone at the top is sincerely interested in resolving this satisfactorily, why the walk-out? I don't get it.
That just sounds so naive. If I knew what your real disconnect with this was, I'd try to help you understand.
Let's walk through the basics:
* Employees have a problem with management.
* Management says "we'll work on it" like they always do.
* Employees may or may not believe, but they want to see action taking place. Employees feel secure enough at their privileged jobs to make a statement by "walking out", with the explicit threat of further action if demands aren't met.
* Management encourages the employees... And will have to decide if they mean business, in part based on the walk-outs.
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That escalated quickly, to the extent that it reflects poorly on your original question.
You aren't anyone I particularly care to hear criticism from of me personally for any reason whatsoever, especially not publicly on HN.
It's not a criticism of you personally. The last time we had a conversation was before you created this HN account and I didn't look at you bio before reacting to your comment.
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