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Sexism alive and kicking in the boardroom!


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Old 16-12-2010, 17:27
citylimitsgirl
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Couldn't believe that Sir Alan's male advisors accused Stella of being a glorified PA - they would never have said that to any of the male candidates. Also they would never have said to Nick 'even YOU could get a technology licence' but were quite happy to say it to Karen Brady.

Disapointed but unfortunately not surprised - go Stella!
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Old 16-12-2010, 17:32
UrMyStar
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But wasn't Nick part of Amstrad? So he will have some knowledge on technology.

I'm female and didn't think it was sexist in any way. Maybe I just don't look for these things or maybe you're being too sensitive? Apart from the "Glorified PA" remark, I thought she was given quite good feedback in the boardroom.
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Old 16-12-2010, 17:37
Jepson
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Couldn't believe that Sir Alan's male advisors accused Stella of being a glorified PA - they would never have said that to any of the male candidates. Also they would never have said to Nick 'even YOU could get a technology licence' but were quite happy to say it to Karen Brady.

Disapointed but unfortunately not surprised - go Stella!
The 'even you could get one' was not an insult or a sleight.

He simply meant that you could get one with no knowledge of telecoms whatsoever and I'm sure he'd have said it to Nick or even LS if he had been replying to them.

I think the interviewer who asked Stella if she was just a glorified PA was looking for a good response (which he got - Go Stella!).

When it was said in the boardroom it was inaccurate but I didn't really see it as sexist. It would be akin to calling someone who had risen to be an assistant curator at a big museum 'A glorified caretaker'.
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Old 16-12-2010, 17:37
kim1994
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I presumed the comment to Karen was because she did not know much about technology rather than she was female. Agree ref the PA bit though
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Old 16-12-2010, 17:43
parthy
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Apart from the "Glorified PA" remark, I thought she was given quite good feedback in the boardroom.
Yeah, and they only said that because they had no other sticks to beat her with! And I thought she acquitted herself very well.

Actually, my favourite part of the boardroom last night was when Stella said something along the lines of "I can't believe I'm being criticised for doing my job well." One of the most lucid things I've ever heard said in the boardroom.
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Old 16-12-2010, 17:49
Jepson
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Actually, my favourite part of the boardroom last night was when Stella said something along the lines of "I can't believe I'm being criticised for doing my job well." One of the most lucid things I've ever heard said in the boardroom.
Yes, Stella handled them very, very, well.

So much so that they didn't manage to find anything to show where she was embarrassed and someone even wondered if she'd been given an easy time.
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Old 16-12-2010, 17:58
parthy
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Yes, Stella handled them very, very, well.

So much so that they didn't manage to find anything to show where she was embarrassed and someone even wondered if she'd been given an easy time.
ALL Apprentice candidates should be like her. But if they were, it'd turn out something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ss-59fi4nM

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Old 16-12-2010, 18:09
robbra
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Stella,
"I'm here to get the job, not to make friends"
Pure Class
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Old 16-12-2010, 19:03
UnrealityTV
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Yep, one bloke and one woman in the final. Totally sexist.

Yes, Stella handled them very, very, well.
Oo-er, missus!
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Old 16-12-2010, 22:37
Fiorina161
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I think it was just some friendly banter

it gets on my nerves the way some of you lot on here have to make an accusation of racism, sexism etc. at the drop of a hat!..
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Old 16-12-2010, 22:50
billio
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Couldn't believe that Sir Alan's male advisors accused Stella of being a glorified PA - they would never have said that to any of the male candidates. Also they would never have said to Nick 'even YOU could get a technology licence' but were quite happy to say it to Karen Brady.

Disapointed but unfortunately not surprised - go Stella!
I mentioned both those things on another thread. I was very pleased that the others picked him up on it, especially his views on Stella, and he sat there looking sulky that no one had agreed with his amazing insight.
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Old 16-12-2010, 23:47
husted
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Couldn't believe that Sir Alan's male advisors accused Stella of being a glorified PA - they would never have said that to any of the male candidates. Also they would never have said to Nick 'even YOU could get a technology licence' but were quite happy to say it to Karen Brady.

Disapointed but unfortunately not surprised - go Stella!
Theres nothing to suggest he was being sexist. You are jumping to a rather unfair conclusion.

Stella joined the bank as a PA. He wouldnt have said it to the other candidates because they didnt have that background.

Another way of putting it would of been to say, 'You're just a glorified administrator'. He was implying that she was organised, but didnt have anything else to offer.

He didnt believe this. It was just a challenge, a question to get a reaction. In fact, he said how much he thought of her in the boardroom later on and recommended her as having a lot to offer.
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Old 17-12-2010, 00:21
Fio Montoya
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Stella,
"I'm here to get the job, not to make friends"
Pure Class
Yes, she hasn't indulged herself in any of the backstabbing that all the others even Chris, seem to enjoy. When she had a beef with Stuart she told him to his face and then let it go, proving me wrong when I worried that she would refer to it over and over

I knew Stella would excel at the interviews because she is a truthful person, so therefore there was nothing to uncover on her CV that might cast her in a bad light.

I rate her as an extremely professional person, calm capable and able to think on her feet and I want her to win.

Chris can't help having the dullest monotone voice we've ever heard since Nigel Mansell, so I don't hold that against him but I don't really rate him as anything out of the ordinary at all.
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Old 17-12-2010, 00:55
Monkseal
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They managed to get through the whole Interviews process without asking either of the mothers if they'd basically be happy to stick their kids in a drawer at Amstrad for a year, which is more than they managed in Series 3...
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Old 17-12-2010, 09:40
mrlimbo
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I find it sexcist that you assume that all PA's are female
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Old 17-12-2010, 09:44
Shrike
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They managed to get through the whole Interviews process without asking either of the mothers if they'd basically be happy to stick their kids in a drawer at Amstrad for a year, which is more than they managed in Series 3...
I assume it wasn't an issue like with Katie Hopkins?
Katie was a single mother, I don't know about Stella, but she already has a high flying job - presumably the hours are already long so childcare is already covered by a partner or relative. Joanna has a partner (I assume the twins' dad) so again it isn't really an issue.
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Old 17-12-2010, 13:10
Bamber19
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Yes, she hasn't indulged herself in any of the backstabbing that all the others even Chris, seem to enjoy.
In fairness she completely hung Laura out to dry that weekwhen she messed up over the truffles, Laura wanted to go elsewhere where it would be cheaper but Stella was adamant that they should go to Knightsbridge which was jsut ridiculous but in the boardroom she just sat back and let it all get pinned on the innocent Laura (who really let herself down by not speaking out)
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Old 17-12-2010, 13:17
Jepson
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In fairness she completely hung Laura out to dry that weekwhen she messed up over the truffles, Laura wanted to go elsewhere where it would be cheaper but Stella was adamant that they should go to Knightsbridge which was jsut ridiculous but in the boardroom she just sat back and let it all get pinned on the innocent Laura (who really let herself down by not speaking out)
Yes but voluntarily dropping yourself in it has never been part of any candidate's boardroom strategy.

In a r/l situation anyone with any integrity would have admitted their part in the failure but that has never been the Apprentice way.
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Old 17-12-2010, 13:31
Fio Montoya
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In fairness she completely hung Laura out to dry that weekwhen she messed up over the truffles, Laura wanted to go elsewhere where it would be cheaper but Stella was adamant that they should go to Knightsbridge which was jsut ridiculous but in the boardroom she just sat back and let it all get pinned on the innocent Laura (who really let herself down by not speaking out)
That's not backstabbing though, is it. And it was Laura who set the price at £200 for the truffle at the restaurant, which they then couldn't go under.
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Old 17-12-2010, 14:10
Birdcage
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Stella,
"I'm here to get the job, not to make friends"
Pure Class
It's hardly original. It's been said by many.
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Old 17-12-2010, 14:23
junipaire
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But wasn't Nick part of Amstrad? So he will have some knowledge on technology.

I'm female and didn't think it was sexist in any way. Maybe I just don't look for these things or maybe you're being too sensitive? Apart from the "Glorified PA" remark, I thought she was given quite good feedback in the boardroom.
Well said, it does get a little ridiculous when everything people say has to be turned into something racist, sexist etc, most of the time its not at all. People just are looking too hard to find these things. I didn't see it at all sexist either. As you say Nick has been involved with a tech company and so obviously has Alan so Karen was his choice as an example, didn't mean he was being sexist.
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Old 17-12-2010, 14:29
Birdcage
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I think it was pretty pathetic that her singing 'knees up mother brown' was supposed to change that opinion. How sad.
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Old 17-12-2010, 14:40
Jepson
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I think it was pretty pathetic that her singing 'knees up mother brown' was supposed to change that opinion. How sad.
It showed she was prepared to knuckle down and do something with which she was not naturally comfortable.

That's what impressed them all.

It's easy to do that sort of thing if you're a naturally gregarious person but a lot harder if you are more reserved.

It was the final piece in the jigsaw that allowed Stella to confirm that she is a naturally rounded candidate and prepared to tackle tasks that are outside her 'comfort zone'.

Sugar and all his advisors agreed about that.
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Old 17-12-2010, 21:06
UnrealityTV
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You're eiher related or have a monumental crush on her, although I'm not sure which...
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Old 17-12-2010, 21:34
JTW
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I still hope that Stella wins over Chris. She might actually breakdown some of the dinosaur machines that is a mainly male dominated one in the world of IT.

I've been involved in it myself and admittedly far from an expert, but still people are shocked that as a female, I pretty much know what's going on behind the hood of a PC or console and can take it apart, rebuild from scratch or troubleshoot most problems. No big deal in the world of software or hardware engineering, but it still takes the sails out of some peeps that a female could even be interested in stuff like this, far less actually solve problems.

I also worked in an all male dominated IT sales team as the only female, and had to prove myself every week, not only on the leaderboard, but also to prove that I deserved respect by beating them in petty computer games, jokes, keeping my dignity and not allowing myself to fall down drunk in what were deliberate drunken binges night outs. Usually I'd be the one trying to sober them up when they turned up at work in the mornings in time for area manager meetings. Yep, a load of multitasking was involved......stuff that the males didn't have to think about at all. Even if they were down on the leaderboard, they were rarely noticed. But if I dropped down, I was instantly noticed, being the only female.

So Stella is in for a tough time if she gets slotted into a mainly male dominated environment, but I actually believe that she's got the right attributes and an inner toughness to bear it out and do well.
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