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knew, with the support of my manager and mentor, I would have every opportunity to succeed. I was the first woman to represent the company and serve on the collective bargaining team. A few years later, a female member of
the union followed in those footsteps to represent her membership. I spent ten days in China with the bargaining team made of 13 men and
me. I served as the only woman on three leadership teams for three different locations for several years until I was successful in increasing representation. Did I have to work hard? Absolutely! Did I feel like I was working harder than my male counterparts? I did. I was the first one in and last one out. I volunteered for all the projects and somehow managed working 60+ hours per week while raising two boys and keeping it all together,
but I wouldn’t change a thing. Having to work hard gave me a strong work ethic and very high standards.
Many years later, it’s exciting to see that women in leadership positions happens naturally
- based on selecting the
best candidate for a role and not because we need token women in leadership positions. I’ve watched
expectations transition from tolerance to mutual respect. Are there still opportunities
to improve? Absolutely!
While compensation gaps for women in the workplace have narrowed, many companies still have some catching up
to do. While the Good Old Boys’ Network is still alive
and functioning in many workforces, it’s getting better.
What I’ve learned is that equity does not mean equality. Equity involves understanding and giving people what they need to be successful. Equality means giving everyone the same things. In my experience, having leadership recognize that providing an equitable structure to be successful
is what matters. It’s up to
every individual to take the circumstances and support provided and make something of it. I had to work hard and make sacrifices, but I took advantage of each and every opportunity I was given.
Today, anyone who has the desire to succeed and is given the support and framework needed can do so. I’m very proud of what the BWL has to offer our employees, and it’s up to each of you to decide what you want to do with those opportunities to be successful.
To me, diversity isn’t just gender or the color of someone’s skin. It’s valuing the differences in who we are as individuals. When I think
of diversity adding value to a workplace, I think of having
an employee base with many differences, including race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation and gender identity, plus individuals with different experiences. Our knowledge and skills are based on a compilation of our personal experiences. This might be where we grew up, went to school, worked and played. Each interaction we’ve had with every individual we’ve ever met creates experiences, and all of those experiences together create a perspective. The important thing is that we all recognize that our experiences make us who we are today, and further, that the experiences we have while at the BWL continue to form us into the individuals we will be in the future. It’s important to respect and value those differences and take advantage of learning something new. It could be exposure to a new culture or a new and more effective way to do something on the job. You don’t know what you’re missing until you open your mind
and are willing to grow your knowledge and experience.
Lynnette as a High School Administrative Co-op . Check out that computer!
Hanging out with other members of the bargaining team in Shanghai, China .
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