One of the most vivid and personal “what the WEK” moments in my career, was when I was the only woman on the senior team at an off-site meeting. The men were all signed up for golf and I was provided a shopping stipend. There was no consideration that I could or would want to play. The irony was, while I was pissed as all hell, I was honestly happier to shop.  

I know I’m not alone, as women, even when we are rocking our careers, we get jolted quite often with the reality and the challenges of being female leaders in the workplace.  

You put in the hard work and have been recognized for your accomplishments, what an amazing feeling, right? All of your schooling, preparation, extra hours, playing the long game to get noticed and promoted. You stood out and made it in the corporate world.  I can imagine you are filled with the pride, excitement, and satisfaction that comes with achieving your career goals.  

You are killing it in your busy, fast paced, demanding life.  You are on solid ground in your career. You are achieving your goals and dreams. 

Yet, an underlying tension exists, making you just want to say, “What the WEK?” 

Whether in the board room or conference room, I continue to be shocked by the experiences women share with me. I have interviewed and listened to multitudes of women, and even the most successful leaders share stories and instances that reveal the challenges females still face in the workplace. Things that make them want to say, “What the WEK?” 

It baffles me that smart, accomplished, strong women are still subject to off-hand comments, held back from promotions, simply not included, and even challenged by their choice to have children.  

While there are so many stories I can share, there is one in particular that stays with me.  I was having a great discussion with a 30-something female executive in the advertising industry, learning about all her amazing accomplishments and successes. After listening in awe, I then asked, what was next for her? I was taken back when she told me that her next career move was to focus on finding a life partner and having children.  When and how did this become an item on the action plan? Why do women have to make these choices? This was a huge what the wek moment for me but an even bigger one for her, as by saying it out loud, she realized she didn’t want to check mark her personal life.  

Sharing stories empowers us and helps us heal, turning challenging moments into opportunities for growth or change. 

 “What’s the moment that made you say, ‘What the WEK?’