I Needed to Challenge

Working for an agency that was dominated by men made me all the more aware that I had to prove my worth.

One of my monthly duties was to rate my job performance, in a number of areas, on a scale of 1 to 5. I would then submit a monthly report to my director and review it with him. I always made it a point to deliver it on time and to make an appointment for my interview.

After several months, it was obvious that my director never even glanced at my report before our meeting. In fact, it was necessary that the office secretary duplicate my copy at the time of our meeting because my original had been “misplaced.”

On one occasion, my director decided to lower my score for punctuality. This seemed totally unfair, as I had been diligent in this area. So, I decided I had to speak up, demanding that he tell me when I had not submitted my report on time. I bluntly asked, “Do you need to do that because I am a woman? Show me proof of when I have failed to live up to your expectations.”

Needless to say, my scores were elevated to all 5’s. In the name of all women, I needed to challenge him, and I did!

Mary B. Wiecezak
Monroe, Connecticut