power hour

i like working in a business group led by a woman. i had reservations about joining because she had a reputation for being a bitch, but the whole time i've worked with her she's been more open and accessible than any other exec i've worked under.

even though i don't report directly to her, she made a point of scheduling lunch with me this week to check in on me. throughout the lunch, she kept repeating the point that we are alike, and are rare among women. she points out areas in my life where i maintain high standards and thirst for challenges, and lets me know that most people lose their beyond-the-home drive and good-enough-isn't once they have kids. she even lamented the problem of finding awesome women, only to find that their husbands were duds and therefore bad matches for hanging out as a power foursome.

i get the feeling she's actually at a loss for peers - female executives like herself that she can bond with, without fearing the political or judgmental risks that come with showing vulnerability at an executive level. what this woman needs is a Cashmere Mafia.

i'm much too junior to offer her a mutually satisfying bond like that, but let's remember...before we get to that rank/age/point, build up that network of peers so it's not so lonely at the top. Sex and the City and Lipstick Jungle didn't just happen by meeting in a bar. They were friends from way back, and they nurtured those friendships with regular hangouts and unspoken support contracts through all kinds of life changes.