Professional Workplace Dilemma

Professional workplace dilemma

My First/Last Technical Working Group (TWG) Meeting

I was assigned by the Senior Technology Steering Committee to a working TWG (Technical Working Group) to establish quality testing processes and procedure standards for TIPCO.

Describe the experience

a. When I arrived I was asked to take the meeting minutes because I was the only women.

b. The gentleman (a newer employee) running the TWG an Enterprise Architect named Tom did not know I was a Sr. Manager (at the time). He treated me as an inferior being and did not listen to my opinion or ask for my input. Other than the notes I prepared he really made it quite clear I added no value to the group.

c. Four other men comprised the remainder of the team. They all held technical titles in the software design and engineering discipline. All four individuals knew of me but did not work with me of for me.

Analyze the ethical dilemma

a. I was the ranking person reporting directly to the CIO who appointed me on the TWG. Tom was the TWG project leader and subject matter expert. He had no authority over me or anyone on the team. His directive was to satisfy the requirement for delivering testing standards for the technology testing and quality teams. My level of power was much higher do to the fact I reported to the CIO.

b. Tom treated me as inferior because I was a woman. He did not value my input so therefore did not ask or want information based on my experience in the industry. If he would have been aware of my rank I think he would have treated me differently. However, the ethical issue is his disrespectful treatment of women in the technology industry.

c. As a leader in the organization I waited until after the meeting to provide constructive feed back to Tom. This was extremely hard for me to wait for a more professional setting to give him feedback. My personal value is to not allow anyone to treat me in a disrespectful manner. I ended up tolerating hi poor treatment for two hours.

d. I could have ripped him in front of the team or walked out. Tom could have