Take Your Boss to Pub Day?

The headline from Britain’s Telegraph caught my eye, “Women who want to get ahead must take bosses to pub.” It made me wonder if men who have women bosses must take them to a spa?

This article was from Australia where the Australian Stock Exchange has demanded that “companies improve gender equality policies and disclose the number of women in senior management positions.” As male corporate chiefs pledged to advance women and take action for wage equity, Heather Ridout who heads the 10,000 employer Australian Industry Group, was interviewed. Among other points she is quoted as saying, “the way people get on in workplaces is by being competent, committed and loyal. But it’s also joining in and being engaged… It’s not going to the pub on Friday night and talking about football necessarily, but it is going to the pub and having a talk and getting on with your workmates and being generally interested in what everyone does.”

The central point of her comment is that it’s important to have a genuine interest in other people. As I often say, being sincerely interested and being personally interesting are two foundations of networking. So, you don’t have to take your boss to a pub, but it is a good idea to find common interests and capitalize on them.

Network ON!
By Susan Colantuono, CEO and Founder Leading Women and author of No Ceiling, No Walls