As I wrote in It’s All Politics, you have to be visible, central and relevant (VCR) to be promoted in most organizations. And this advice doesn’t just pertain to young women. For a while, young women are often “cute-and-little” and draw attention and mentoring. But this time is brief. Then the ability to have your ideas heard and attributed to you diminishes. Apparently, the White House is no different. Even early on in the Obama administration, women had to learn to help each other be heard, to assure that ideas they advanced were attributed to them. Fortunately, the women who worked with President Obama influenced a change of culture, and it didn’t hurt that people who thought little of women’s contributions eventually moved on.
Would a female president make a difference? Would a Hillary Clinton presidency change the White House culture that certainly precedes President Obama as is clear in this article. It’s worth a read.
3 Responses to Even in the White House, Women at the top Struggle to be “In The Room”