My first inclination when I read the recent news story about Google firing software engineer James Damore was to say that the high-tech giant was stifling free speech. Employees have a right to their opinions—I thought—no matter how controversial those opinions are.

But, as I took the time to read through his memo. I stopped. In the controversial 10-page memo, Damore argues that Google, his employer, should place less emphasis on gender diversity in the workplace. But then my allegiance waned as the 28-year-old makes the argument that women are underrepresented in high tech not because of bias and discrimination, but rather because of inherent psychological differences between men and women.  

Google fired Damore, who had been with the company for four years, because, as he reported, his memo perpetuated gender stereotypes. The young, seemingly intelligent, mid-level professional pointed out that, in “Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber,” women “prefer jobs in social or artistic areas.” He says they are not assertive, and are neurotic.

I wondered—how many of his male coworkers in high tech agree with him—albeit silently?

What do males in A/E really think? And does it matter?

My next question turned to A/E firms. Do women in A/E have the same problem? Do they work for and alongside men who believe women can’t fill leadership positions not because of bias or prejudice, but because men have stronger drives for success and are interested in “things” more than other people?

Last year, AIA asked men and women in the A/E industry if there was gender inequality. Women reported that they strongly believe that gender equality did not exist. Men, on the other hand, were divided—half said that women are underrepresented and half said they are well represented.

But, we all know the drill. One women sits in at a firm executive meeting, and she is the Marketing Director. Or a principal will tell the story of how he is going to get in trouble, because he is going to miss an anniversary: “You know how females are about these things.” So where does our industry stand?

PSMJ conducted a survey a couple of years ago that looked at female participation rates in the architecture/engineering/environmental industry.  We found that, as expected, women are significantly underrepresented compared to their share of the overall population.  However, we also found that the percentage of women who became project managers was greater than the percentage of men. 

Being a successful project manager in an A/E firm requires a different skill set than being a successful software coder at Google. But we need more architects, engineers, and PMs. And if we present an industry that recognizes women for the skills, and rewards them accordingly, we will attract more females to our firms. It really is not that complicated.

Now its your turn: What do you think about this? And how does it play out in your firm?

About the Author: In his 40+ years leading PSMJ Resources, Frank Stasiowski, FAIA has authored dozens of books and manuals serving the business needs of the A/E industry, including eight best sellers on management. His recently re-released, The Value Pricing Imperative for Design Firms, details what A/E firms need to do to develop and implement a competitive pricing strategy today, and in the future. In addition to being the Founder and CEO of PSMJ, he is a frequent speaker at numerous prestigious A/E industry events.

This article is featured in PSMJ's September 2017 newsletter, Professional Services Management Journal (PSMJ). In today’s fast-moving information overload world, it seems that there is industry-related content everywhere you look, with some nuggets of advice on how you can be more successful. The trouble is that so much content out there is just re-stating what lots of others may (or may not) be doing without making any distinction as to what the most successful industry-leading architecture and engineering firms are doing. PSMJ’s carefully-curated content ensures that you are not getting generic filler, hypothetical fluff, or anything but proven battle-tested advice. Check out a free copy available at the link below.