New Girls' Network

Men at my organization seem to get away with everything. One male executive is such a terror that his competent support staff has been quitting in droves, but he’s still one of the more respected people in our company. A female colleague recently took to task an associate who had made a very serious mistake, […]

I’m fortunate to work at a company that offers flexible working arrangements, and since the birth of my first child, I’ve worked from home part-time. I’m still a committed employee producing high caliber work, but I’m being given less challenging assignments, and my supervisor no longer discusses the possibility of advancement with me. I really […]

Some of my male colleagues frequently make sexist remarks about other women in the office. Their comments really offend me, and I don’t like keeping quiet. But I’m not sure of how to confront my colleagues without upsetting them and making the situation worse. How can I respond effectively? We hear you! The idea of […]

  Dear My “Not-Manager” is a Jerk, This is a challenging dilemma especially since you are an intern and thus the lowest of the low. But do not despair! I would suggest you might try a humorous approach first — make a little sign with a picture of headphones on it and beside it write […]

On April 4, 2013, the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis hosted the inaugural New Girls’ Network event, “Finding Your Voice.” The event included an interview with famed opera star Renée Fleming, a panel discussion with Vernā Myers, Sheli Rosenberg, and Michele Coleman Mayes, and an interview of Pfizer Inc. General Counsel Amy Schulman and Pfizer Inc. […]

Dear Speaking, Repeat after us: I am not in college any more. I am not in college any more. I am not in college any more. It sounds like college was a fantastic experience for you. You did well academically, socially, and athletically. We are so happy for you, and many of the skills you’ve […]

Dear Atonal, We hear this all the time. Women have a conversation where they feel direct, professional, and assertive, and they get feedback that they are harsh, abrasive, or inappropriate. There is a reason for this: Women are expected to be warm, team-oriented, and collaborative, whereas forceful, assertive people (and future leaders) are expected to […]

Dear Delicate, We’re sorry to hear you are going through this. It’s important to point out that while gender is in the mix, race likely is driving this dynamic. You are a young White woman working above several Black men and women who are older than you, and likely have more job experience. Think about […]

Dear Need to Know, We are so glad you asked, because networking is super-important. Here are some key insights about men’s and women’s networks. So what do you do with all this information? Here are seven important lessons: Got a problem you want help with? Then Ask The New Girls! Sources: Ibarra, Herminia. (1997). “Paving an […]

This week The New Girls’ Network received its first two submissions for our Ask The New Girls series. Dear WaWaWC, I originally called the group the Wise Women, but I intentionally included women from a wide range of ages, from their mid-20s to their 70s. The name Wise Women didn’t adequately express the mission of the group or […]