Melinda talks to Brigitte Kimichek, retired lawyer and author, about how women in the professional world can become their most successful selves with her books “Play Nice” and “Play Smart”. Navigating the professional world is inherently difficult, but it is often more difficult for women. Brigitte Kimichek has dedicated her career to teaching other professional women how to get jobs, advocate for themselves, and succeed in their goals in the workplace. All this and more on this episode of The Melinda Eitzen Show!
About the Guest
Brigitte Kimichek is a retired attorney and the author of the books “Play Nice” and “Play Smart” , about how women in the professional world can become their most successful selves. To find out more about Brigitte and her books, go to thesandboxseries.com.
Key Takeaways About Being a Woman in the Workplace
- Women still face gender discrimination in many businesses.
- Women in the workplace must be advocates for themselves and for each other.
- Women cannot rely on Human Resources or other institutions to look out for them.
- Women should frame their self-advocacy in terms that match with the company’s values and goals rather than in moral terms. It is better for women to be prepared to deal with these issues in the moment that they occur, and these two books will prepare you to do that.
Notable Quotes About Being a Woman in the Workplace
- “It’s all about: how do we share a workspace? How do we make it more profitable and healthier and a better working environment for all?” — Brigitte Kimichek
- “There’s a lot of research out there that says women are extremely valuable in higher ranking positions as well as men, and working together makes the company much more profitable.” — Brigitte Kimichek
- “You have to learn to put the issue to bed right away, right when it happens. If someone says something that’s inappropriate, whether you’re pregnant, or you have children at home, or you’re too pretty, or maybe you’re ‘not the right fit’ for whatever reason because you’re an Asian American, or y’know, whatever you are, you need to say ‘Hold on, here’s how I can help you. And I want to help you. And I think the company would agree since they hired me, this is why I’m here’.” — Brigitte Kimichek
- “If you’re in an environment where something like that is happening to another person, that’s a great training ground for you. Don’t be a bystander, speak up and say ‘OK, wait a minute’. Because it’s easier to deal with someone else’s issue than if it happens to yourself.” — Brigitte Kimichek
- “If you are equal parity with that other person, then you need to gently complain about it. Say, ‘y’know I hear this person gets paid more than me. And that may be his skill set, but here’s mine, and here’s where I am outperforming him, and where I have been outperforming him, why I should be paid at least as much if not more. And I’m going to argue for more.’” — Brigitte Kimichek
