Calling All Manbassadors
Better Gender Diversity Requires More Male Sponsors
Beth Rilee-Kelley | July 8, 2016 | Advertising Age
I first heard the term "manbassador" at the 3% Conference a few years back.
And it resonated with me.
Manbassadors are men who are particularly tuned in to the roadblocks women face in business and do all they can to mentor, encourage and promote women in the workplace. In essence, they're sponsors.
There's a very important conversation going on right now about gender diversity and respect (or sometimes lack thereof) of women by men in our industry. But in the midst of this discussion, I want to acknowledge the men who elegantly served as manbassadors long before the term was coined and who played instrumental roles in the careers of women like me. And perhaps more importantly, I'd like to ask more men to step up and carry the manbassador torch for the aspiring female leaders of tomorrow.
Several weeks ago, I was named president of The Martin Agency. I've worked at this great company for 33 years and it's a wonderful honor to be named president. And yes, it's even more wonderful to be the first female president.
So, a moment like that naturally spurs a great deal of personal reflection. As I thought about what I might want to say to our staff following the announcement of my new role, I reflected on the most influential people in my career.
That's when it struck me. They were all men. And of course they were, because early in my career there simply weren't very many women in leadership positions in our industry.
Here are three lessons I learned from my "manbassadors:"
