Crack the Code for the OBC

The OBC, or in its full flavor – Old Boys’ Club – continues to haunt many women day in and day out in their educational track and then in their career.  Personally, I’ve been dancing with my feelings and thoughts toward the OBC throughout most of my career.  After a 5-month stint working retail my first year in college, my father put his foot down after too many shopping bags with clothes were arriving with my return from work.  I needed to get something that would look good on my resume.

So, I got myself into the campus career placement center, which helped me land a job at a large law firm.  Part of the reasoning was that I wanted to go to law school eventually.  There I was a part-time clerk who arrived at the office every day after classes.  I soon discovered that the business ideals and theories taught in business school didn’t necessary match what I was experiencing in practice.  A case in point was the managing partner issuing a memo on the firm’s zero tolerance for sexual harassment in the workplace.  This was the same individual who a few weeks later invited me to his beach home for the weekend since his wife was out of town.

Needless to say, after 18 months, I decided that law school wasn’t for me and found myself a marketing assistant job at a non-profit.  This then led me to landing a management position right out of college at a local university hospital.  Fast forward then through various professional and management positions at organizations in Corporate America that were always in male-dominated fields and industries, to come to the realization that I was never really held back by the OBC.  Before you get upset and dig in your “feminist” heels on me, let me share something that my father recently told me.  He commented that the reason why most women aren’t part of the Old Boys’ Club is that they don’t know what gets them in.  And he’s absolutely right – there’s a code that needs to be cracked.  Let’s look at the 1-2-3 that makes up the code:

1. You demonstrate that you have leadership potential.  You don’t have to transform yourself into a cigar-smoker, whiskey-drinker, sports-lover and foul-language speaker to gain access, i.e. you don’t need to become a man to be included.  Instead, you become the go-to-person for a person of influence.  You absorb the numbers and facts on what makes your company tick.  You’re like an oracle that can be approached for knowledge.  You’re always one step ahead of the bosses and have readily available strategies and solutions.  You know what goes on with the competition and how your company can beat it.  However, you always know exactly when to use your information appropriately, just like a poker player.  You’re comfortable with using the knowledge you hold to your advantage.
2. You understand that it’s about making the boss look good.  You know that your success is contingent upon how well your higher ups stand out with their leaders, including board members and stockholders.   You research and learn what the hot buttons for those individuals are and then go about making things happen.  This isn’t about brown-nosing.  Brown-nosing without actions means very little in the corporate world.  It’s about effectuating change that will shine a positive light on your department and organization.  Then you apply what those in the OBC know – you get comfortable with asking for rewards to receive credit for your work and accomplishments.  You want to make sure that your own star shines brightly, too.
3. You take a daily dose of Vitamin C.  The C in this case stands for Connection.  Those in the OBC are out and about working their connections and nourishing those relationships.  They don’t use the excuse that they have too much work to do and don’t have the time.  I used this approach in my own corporate days.  It proved to be extremely powerful in managing up.  It gave me credibility and access to the executive team.  I wasn’t a name dropper, but knew how to use the connections to make things happen that others who just went about getting their daily jobs done couldn’t have done.  Plus, enjoying a great lunch or a good cup of coffee is always a great way to break up the day!

While we as women might think that the OBC’s should be totally eliminated, I want to challenge you to harness your frustrations into something positive and propel you to grow.  It took me quite a number of years in my own career to realize that the OBC wasn’t holding me back.  I was.  I didn’t ask for raises.  I blurted out all the carefully researched info instead of using it to my advantage.  I got pissed off that the bosses got credit for my work, but didn’t approach it one-on-one behind closed doors.  I commiserated with the other ladies at work about the OBC.  And I whined – a lot.  What brought about the shift in my own attitude toward the OBC?  Two things:  1) a physical ailment that after struggling with it for over a year made me realizing how much I was fueled by anger; and 2) a star employee whose attitude and accomplishments were truly admirable.  I saw in action how he navigated the OBC flawlessly and with ease.

So, now that you know how to crack the code for the OBC – go out and apply this knowledge and let me know how it works for you.  Also, if you like what you read, please share it with friends by clicking one of the cute buttons above!