14:35
–
15:10
March 20, 2024
In my first month on the job - I was asked to step up as the Reliability Manager. The first thing that was said from another male manager was 'She is not good enough, she cannot do that job'. After the longest minute of silence my manager said 'She is good enough and she will prove you all wrong'. I am a very confident young women who always stands up for herself - but in that moment I chose not too. For many reasons, one of them being maybe he was right? Maybe someone with more experience should be allowed the opportunity - not the new kid on the block. It had me questioning all my skills and experience to the point I thought I had made a mistake in taking this job.
I changed my mindset and decided to look at this as a learning opportunity, a challenge. The next month flew by and I held my own in being able to manage both the maintenance planners and engineers on site. If I didn't have the answer I could find someone who did. We saw productivity increase and the engineers felt motivated in the work they do. I encouraged them and supported them as human beings not just as engineers - prioritising mental health and creating a safe work place culture.
Those first few months were the hardest, but I earned the respect of the other managers and in turn, acceptance into the boys club.
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