the Power hour
Is there an old boys club In the brIdgIng market? LB: I think you notice the different layers to the industry. There are almost groups within the industry where you get the younger people coming together and then the more established players have friendships going back for years. There is a boys club in that sense but there are other groups that sit around that as well. It’s a close knit industry. AK: I think the corporate dos in this industry are an example of that though – it’s golf. All: YES. That is really annoying. AK: It’s just one example but I did a lot of business with one broker that operates all over the country and it was always golf. And eventually I said to them that they didn’t ever do anything that includes women. I didn’t ask for something specifically for women but they did a cookery day. And I thought, ohhhh. It was lovely and there were some men there but it was a little stereotypical. I didn’t necessarily want the complete opposite of golf but just something that includes both. There are women who play golf, but you still don’t get invited even then. LS: I was invited once though I did say no. LB: It’s difficult though. One lender did a spa day but that’s very girly and a bit too
much for me to be honest. KB: Corporate hospitality is difficult though because you want everyone to enjoy it. I came up with racing cars because that’s something that is less gender orientated. Golf can be a bit alienating. I think there’s maybe a misinterpretation that women in the bridging industry are girly girls but I haven’t come across any girls like that. They’re strong and independent women. LB: But maybe that’s the profile of women in this industry. AK: The point about the hospitality though isn’t just about enjoying the event or activity, the point is that’s where they do their networking. People do think, let’s take him on, we met him at a golf day. I think they get to know people better at these things and that’s why some of them get promoted in a company or get taken on by another company. Maybe.
has anyone ever exPerIenced that? All: No. LB: I don’t think I’ve ever felt that but you probably wouldn’t know about it. There might have been a business opportunity that you’ll never know you missed because you weren’t there for the conversation. It doesn’t affect you directly
and for that matter it may not even be the case, there are a lot of evening dos as well. There’s enough other networking I think.
Is there a ProfIle for women In brIdgIng? do you survIve because you aren’t terrIbly gIrly and are feIsty, IndePendent women? KB: Possibly. It doesn’t do to be too sensitive and you need to be able to hold your own. But that’s personality rather than girls or boys. LB: I never feel disadvantaged. LS: Yes, but there is sometimes a feeling in the first few minutes of a conversation that you have to prove you know what you’re talking about. LB: I suppose you do have to get in there and be pretty straight to the point so whoever it is knows and appreciates you have the knowledge. But I don’t know if that’s also the case for men as well. I’ve never felt a man has spoken to me badly because I’m female. AK: We did actually experience an elderly broker who refused to speak to a woman. So it does happen and it’s probably historically because there haven’t been that many women. Dena Thompson: It was me. You have to just laugh really. He asked to speak to the “decision maker” in the company. To be honest it might have been an assumption that the decision maker couldn’t have been me because I was saying no to him but he didn’t get passed onto anyone else in underwriting. I must admit it was a challenge to prove the point that I was the person making the decision and that he needed to convince. I probably had to be slightly more forceful with him. There’s also the fact that quite a lot of women have worked their way up from the admin side of things and there’s a danger you’re still seen in that capacity even when you have more power and responsibility. LB: It’s best not to make a big deal of it when things like that happen and stick to what you know and what you’ve said and then it’s their choice whether to deal with you or not. You don’t want to start getting outraged by it.
42 mortgage introducer NOVEMBER 2011
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