Monday morning meetings begin with talk about Sunday’s football scores. Men in upper management invite lower level male employees to lunch. Water cooler conversations center around hot rods and drag racing. Do you ever feel like you work amidst the “old boy” network?
An “old boy” network has a more formal definition. It’s an exclusive and informal network that links members of a social class or profession in order to provide connections, information, and favors—especially in business or politics. When a boss hires a friend of a friend, that person was hired through the “old boy” network. When a man gets a promotion because his friends are on the committee that decides promotions, he is arguably the beneficiary of “old boy” networking.

Women are still a minority in corporate boardrooms and in management positions. Women held 9.6 percent of America’s corporate board seats in 1995, according to Catalyst, a New York research group that tracks women’s progress in corporate America. Eight years later, the share of women on board seats grew only 4 percent. Fifty-four percent of Fortune 500 companies have no women at all on their boards. The “old boy” network may be one reason why women are underrepresented in positions of power. America’s corporate boardrooms are like secrets clubs. You have to be invited to serve on the board, and the only way to get invited is to demonstrate that you will work within the established system. To a large extent female board members have to support and protect the status quo.

The most atrocious effect of the “old boy” network is when a woman—or a man not in the network—is passed up for a raise, a promotion, a coveted project assignment, or professional development funds in favor of a less qualified employee.

If you work in an “old boy” network, hopefully there are women in your organization you can bond with. There may also be men with one foot inside the network and the other foot outside who can lobby on your behalf. Although this is not the ideal arrangement. You don’t want men to fight your battles for you. Still, there may be a time when it’s beneficial to call on men for help. Consider that George Dreher, professor of marketing at Indiana University, and Taylor Cox, Jr., of the University of Michigan, found that MBA graduates who establish mentoring relationships with white males had an average annual compensation of $16,840 more than those with mentors possessing other demographic profiles. They also found that graduates with white male mentors made $22,000 more than peers who had not established any form of mentoring relationship. Clearly, “old boy” networking pays off.

Your job is to recognize “old boy” networking and decide how to get into it or succeed in spite of it. In some corporations, breaking through the glass ceiling means breaking through an “old boy” network. Many women are starting “new girl” networks, or, for women who don’t like to be called girls, “new female” networks. A “new female” network is a proactive group of women who mentor, communicate, and advocate on behalf of other women. Girlgeeks is one of these networks. It is an online community of women and girls interested in information technology and computers. These types of networks are perhaps the most promising paths through the glass ceiling. Women accomplish more when they act collectively. Women can achieve their personal goals while also seeing the bigger picture.

Imagine the impact women could have if they bonded to create change at work. Suppose women wanted the option of coming to work at 6:00 a.m. so they could get off at 3:00 to pick up their children from school. If 30 out of 40 female employees put together a proposal (for men and women) and stood behind it, a boss would have to think hard about making a decision 75 percent of the female workforce (and part of the male workforce) supports. Even if you don’t have children or don’t want to come to work at 6:00 a.m., it is in your best interest to help other women succeed.

Never lose sight of a network’s goal. Judy Rosener, a columnist for the Orange County Business Journal, writes, “Male networks, often first based on personal relationships, produce career advancement. Female organizations, often first based on career advancement, produce personal relationships.” Women often form friendships in networks, and end up using the network merely for moral support instead of fulfilling professional goals. Always remember the purpose of the network.

Also keep in mind that you could be missing out on after-hours socializing if you are trying to juggle your work and home lives. You could be sacrificing your company’s networking opportunities if you choose work/life balance arrangements. Unfortunately, it’s still often an either/or situation.

Ideally, companies should judge all employees against the same standards. They should hire and promote employees using an objective process that is documented in writing. Everyone should have an equal chance for success. But the reality is that managers and CEO’s naturally gravitate toward people who are similar to them. It can be frightening to take a risk on people with different values and backgrounds. Compatibility is uncertain. They’d rather have people agree with them because it makes life easier and more predictable. This is what’s behind any kind of workplace clique—a common identity. Members are less likely to challenge the status quo with opposing viewpoints.

The “old boy” network will not go away until there is a genuine appreciation for diversity. Fortunately, young people are much more likely to appreciate diversity. People who value other cultures and backgrounds go out of their way to incorporate diversity into the workforce. They know that diversity leads to greater creativity, participation, feedback, and results.

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