17 July 2020

How to overcome -isms in business/life


I don't know whom I am speaking to today, but I just want you to know that as an entrepreneur, you shall face discrimination in your line of work. That's a given, but it's not important. What's important is how you react to that discrimination.

So today, I am going to share my experience with discrimination:

An entrepreneur I am working with made this confession to me two days after I started mentoring him:

‘Since I joined this platform, I have been reaching out to male mentors only because I was biased against women, but none of them got back to me. When I saw your profile, I decided to give you a try, and you surprised me when you responded.

I wasn’t expecting much from the sessions, but since I had signed up, I decided to turn up. I am glad I did because of the depth of your analysis of my situation and the poignant issues you are raising that I had not even thought about. Do you mind if I recommend you to my friends?

That, my friends, is called sexism! It is alive and well in every sphere of our lives.

Lessons learnt:

💥As you go about your business, know that people will judge you and cast you aside not because you are not good at what you do, but because of whom they are.

💥When you turn up, bring in your A-game. It doesn’t matter whether you are being paid or doing it pro bono. Wow the pants off your client!

💥Don’t get mad at the –isms thrown your way; get even by being the best version of yourself

What has been your experience with -isms and how have you dealt with them?

3 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This was interesting, companies will not give startups or even local companies an opportunity to serve them not on base of merit and competence but on biased judgement they are not capable. However as the writer points it "💥When you turn up, bring in your A-game."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very true Kellyson. In some instances your competency isn't factored in the judgement process. People being people are blinkered by their own social upbringing and bring that experience to business. So yes, bring in your A game every time!

      Delete