Did anyone watch the Hilary Devey programme?

[FrillyMilly]

Hilary Devey is doing a two part show on bbc 2 called Women on top looking at way women arent in top jobs. First part was on Thursday, I've done a search but can't see any threads.

Was quite interesting but disappointed by Hilary's attitude of if I can do it any one can yet admits her son was looked after by his grandparents a lot and she missed out on lots. Proctor and gamble (yes those who came up with the sponsorship of mums) featured as their first female board member was very pro active in finding out why women where leaving and making it easier for them to stay and progress in the company. It shows that mixed gender teams work best over all male/all female although it insinuated this was due to lack of competition/flirting. It said that in the top US companies those with the most women on the board had over a 60% greater return on capital than those with the least women on the board.

Did anyone else watch it? I find it really interesting because I work in a male dominated company and I think we have 2 female board members (I'm on maternity leave at the moment). It also occurs to me that I'm harming my chances of ever getting to be a board member by working part time.

I saw it. I think she has that kind of spoilt self-revering entitled attitude people with very supportive parents often show- totally taking for granted the massive part that parental investment played in her freedom and determination to succeed.

Also her son went off the rails and became a herion addict, and most people want to be around to supervise and keep their offspring out of that danger.

Hopefully she'll be a bit more open-minded in part 2!

The woman talking to her about the pyramid visualization was getting very frustrated with her. I also don't think she believes men want to be around for their children either for example when talking to people about stay at home dads and when talking to the MD of McBride who sai he would arrange a board meeting so it didn't clash with parenting obligations.

Yes, saw it, and interesting enough, but predictable. I agree absolutely with food unit about taking parental support for granted, although I didn't know her son was a heroin addict. Hopefully she'll be put on the spot a bit more next week!!

I liked the bit at the end where the consultant she brought in called her "queen bee" - and that's exactly how she comes across, imo: entitled, unsympathetic and totally cold.

Thought the whole thing was bloody awful and she came across as totally sexist (towards women and the "role of women").

Well, I didn't see it. But having read an interview with her recently I wasn't that keen on her attitude.

I saw it. It was interesting to hear the perspective of the small business about how much women going on maternity leave cost them (recruitment fees and training for maternity cover etc).

I was concerned though that the programme seemed to be more about highlighting problems employers have with women who want careers and families than offering any solutions about work life balance.

Later on in the series she visits other countries where parenting is more shared to draw comparisons, so that might be better.

I saw it. Was intrigued throughout but like some of you have said, Hilary's attitude was quite frustrating. She is a successful businesswoman in a male dominated industry and implied that it was just as easy for all women to do what she's done. She didn't offer up too much in depth detail about the sacrifices she had to make to get there. (I know about the issues with her son, she spoke about that when she was on The Secret Millionaire.) I definitely think she's the Queen Bee though. Being a woman at the top surely has many benefits (appealing to other women for one), but the process of getting there in the first place and then keeping your place is the difficulty. I was more upset at the fact that when the programme was finished, I tried to engage my DP in conversation about the issues raised and he completely dismissed my argument.

I mentioned maternity leave and how a lot of women feel out of the loop, especially if they take a longer career break, and sometimes have to take lower ranking positions so they have more part-time options, and then find it hard to build up their careers to the same level again. All DP could say was "What about Dads, they only get 2 weeks paternity leave, that's not fair is it?" I totally agree with him but he missed the point entirely!

I took 2 weeks holiday to have babies and beileve it or not it did my career no harm and I earn quite a bit neatrly 30 years on and my children did well too. That is one solution which can be a lot easier on the mother, does not disturb the employer and is fine for the baby.

Xenia do you think women should just use annual leave to have a baby then go back to work? Who looked after your two week old when you went back? I dont think we should be telling women to rush back. I have been off on maternity leave for nearly a year and am back next week. I work for a really large private company. I applied to my department, where I have worked for 7 years, for flexible hours and they created a position for me. I am very lucky that this was possible but has more than likely meant I won't further my career until I am full time again. I want to work and advance my career but I also want to pick my kids up from school. Why do these things need to be mutually exclusive?

If they want.

I think it is up to the woman. It was certainly far and away the best option for all of us for a raft of reasons. I think it is very very sexist when women are criticised for just taking a short time off if they want to as they often have been - the French politican Dati and many others have been.

People male and female work out lots of compromises. The school run is the last vestiges of hell from my point of view but I accept not all men and women agree and some see it as a form of earthly paradise - all that traffic, tired children and getting them on with homework. Mind you I am in year 28 of motherhood with the youngest just out of prep school so I imagine when almost into my third decade of afternoon school runs the novelty of them has rather worn off (and I have certainly done a fair few in my time).

Women and men who go to back to work quickly use the same childcare options as they who go back after longer periods. We had a daily nanny as that was cheaper for 3 children under 4 than 3 nursery places or 3 childminder places even. It worked very well and she stated 10 y ears going part time by the end and bringing her own baby and then her second one to work after our third was a toddler.

I agree Xenia that the school run should have a special circle of hell dedicated to it. I'm only on week one with child one and I absolutely HATE IT! What a horrible, horrible way to start the day - sitting in traffic, stressed that you're going to be late, can't get a parking space when you get there, everyone pushy and aggressive and in a rush - it's vile. Avoiding it is one excellent reason for going back to work IMO.

Our older 3 children got coaches laid on by the school and the others went to a school at the end of the road so it's not been too bad or we had someone whose job it was to meet the school coaches and bring them back here and feed them. Various options over the years. I certainly quite like being here at home the days when I am like today so I can see them when they get in from school, check what is needed for the next day immediately (not late at night) and make sure homework gets started. Obviously I am lucky that some days I can organise my working life to do that.

It is interesting because for some women that chance to meet other mothers and chat is a huge bit of their day. may be they are chained to sinks for the rest of it, so such an extent one school had to tell them to stop the chatter because it was disrupting the speed at which the cars were moving in and off the premises.

In fact I am sitting here ostensibly working feeling extremely happy in part because I have someone else (an older child) doing a rather complex school run and dentist trip today. It may be an age thing. Gorgeous sweet 3 year olds whom you have to prize off your legs and would rather be attached to you 24/7 and sleep with you are different from huger older ones who may do little more than grunt.

Great posts Xenia!