EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - BY SAMUEL McKEOWN ‘Unusual job’
“When raising them and being a wife, it was difficult to prioritise my children. Sometimes a trip to Europe for work was more important than watching a choir sing. But I was lead engineer for Trump Tower – it was an unusual job and that was priority. This was my life from 1985 up until 2000, which was a difficult time for me personally.” Barbara would eventually become Executive Vice-President of The Trump Organisation from 1980-1992, but admitted it took more than ‘hard work’ – she had to be twice as good as her male counterparts just to get noticed. She added: “In order for women to get ahead of men, they have to be better than all of them – and I was. “I found a mentor who was also a tormentor, Arthur ‘Artie’ Nusbaum (who died earlier this year aged 92).
Trump came in and hired me after seeing the great things I was achieving.”
“Artie was a harasser, but he promoted me. That’s where
Barbara then discussed her experiences of working with Trump and how women were rarely spotted on construction sites, let alone leading sites. “If you went out into the world of construction and looked at all the managers, you would find countless mediocre men – you won’t find any mediocre women. Women have to be exceptionally good just to get a chance. “We’re judged more if in charge, for example, Margaret Thatcher was known as the Iron Lady; Asian women are known as dragon ladies. I had an article written about me which said ‘she’s hard as nails’ as if that’s some kind of compliment. If women take charge, they’re called bossy and aggressive. For women it can be a catch 22, there’s nothing you can really do right.” Recalling her time at school, she said: “There were girls back in school that could have studied engineering, and they could have done better than I did, but they didn’t have the inner strength. They didn’t have the fortitude. They weren’t up to the task of taking the abuse that’s levelled at women who try something outside of a ‘traditional female field’. “There’s a tremendous disconnect between men and women and that’s why so many men don’t understand the MeToo Movement. All men harass women – some unconsciously – but they all do it.” Barbara spoke about her time working for Trump and what she learned from him during her early career. She said: “Trump Tower was an extraordinary event, and visually cutting-
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edge. At the time there was tremendous publicity, but Trump taught me how to deal with the press, which was important.”
Tips for women dealing with ‘Trumps’
“It’s hard dealing with bosses and if you can’t go over their heads, where can you go? But dealing with regular sexual perpetrators there’s lot of advice I can give: let the person bothering you know they’re bothering you – that way, you’re on record. If something happens, tell your friends about it.
“Get a mentor or find other women to speak to. Never let things go without talking about them – and you’ll find out you’re not the only one.
“Finding someone to talk to is essential. The reason women quit is because they stop believing in themselves.
incorruptible digital ledger of economic transactions that can be programmed to record not just financial transactions but virtually everything of value. She added: “The more digital things become the more likely women will be accepted into certain roles. DigiBuild guarantees trust within the industry – it eliminates the need for middle men and repeated transactions. It creates smart contracts, eliminating redundant paperwork – and we’re predicting to save companies over 10% on project costs.”
Youth skills crisis
To conclude, Barbara spoke about the skills crisis in the US, while her sentiments echo the same issues in the UK. She said: “It’s important for children to receive proper training for life skills. Kids should be learning about real-life problems. A class should be introduced for kids to learn how to deal with skills such as paying for a car, and managing a bank balance. “We’ve got to emphasise the manner and ability of working with one’s hands again, which used to be something that was highly respected. When Obama was president, the notion was every child should have a college education.
Solutions
“What we’re finding is schools’ test grading is easier because kids are transferred due to low standards. As a result, it’s easier for people to get college education, but there aren’t enough jobs for English graduates, while fewer people are training for manual jobs – so there’s a lack of mechanics and construction workers. “Plus, the college system is terrible. It takes advantage of youth and they pay more in interest than some pay to buy a house.”
Light at the end of the tunnel?
“The talk is there to bring more females into the construction industry, which is a step forward. “However, 3% of people within the US construction trade are women, while 1% in the UK. Male leaders are saying they ‘want more women’ but they’re not doing anything about it – eventually they’ll have to. “Schools should be increasing exposure of engineering for women – but I believe in guidelines. Companies should have to hire 10% women.”
Bringing the construction industry into the 21st century
Barbara spoke about Digibuild Software, a digital-based platform she serves as advisor on, which will revolutionise the way projects are managed. The platform uses blockchain technology: an
BARBARA with a copy of ToolBusiness + Hire Magazine
TBH November, 2018 17
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