The Lesson: Although loyalty typically has a positive connotation, it can also dissuade you from pursuing better opportunities, especially in the workplace. This is an issue many women are facing today at their respective jobs: an excessive sense of loyalty to coworkers and companies results in stagnation. And since social factors propel women to value security over challenge and growth, women can often be at a disadvantage to their man counterparts. Loyalty has its place in decision making, but so does a desire to learn, grow, and experience a new set of challenges.
Notable Excerpt: “Well, one big thing was that I felt I owed it to the company to be there… it’s a very female perspective on a job. I didn’t want to let anyone down. I didn’t want to let not only my coworkers, who were my family, but the community; I didn’t want to let the community down. And if they were coming to look for me to say ‘I need help with this’, and I wasn’t there, that just… I mean even now it gets me emotional, it breaks my heart.”
The Guest: In 2005, Danielle Maveal, also known as Danielle XO, became the top seller on Etsy. This landed her a position at the company in which she managed creative teams set on influencing and motivating entrepreneurs to develop their small businesses. Today, she’s a successful startup consultant and developer, and a team founder for the animal rescue company BarkBox.
The Host: Ashley Milne-Tyte is a journalist, teacher, and host of The Broad Experience podcast. An adjunct professor for Columbia Journalism School, Milne-Tyte has written for notable news outlets, such as NPR, BBC, and WNYC, all while maintaining and developing an acute sense for women’s experiences in the workplace.
The Podcast: The Broad Experience podcast is available on iTunes and Stitcher, as well as their website.
(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below)
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