Marissa Mayer: Why Are We Still Having this Conversation?

We are having this conversation because she screwed up by leaving Google.  She is catching a falling knife, or jumping on a sinking ship, or whatever other phrase you want to use for Yahoo's demise.  Most women wouldn't have made this jump.  Most women would have stayed put.

I'm sure she got paid a lot of money, but Yahoo is beyond repair.  It is a bastion for confused liberals that is about to fall into the trash bin of history.  It had huge advantages in several areas, and gave all of them away.

@projecteve1 Amazing, isn't it?

You're so pretty, Gini.

I really wish I wouldn't have read the Berglas article. It felt so darn condescending. It would be a different thing if that advice column was written by another female executive giving Megan some advice in her new role. And, the "glass cliff" concept is also disturbing - though, it seems sadly true. I guess they must think they can afford a more "risky" hire when they're desperate. Ugh.

She's jumping into trouble waters over at Yahoo. That ship isn't going to right itself overnight. I just hope they aren't setting her up to fail. She's inherited a big mess that would be tough for anyone coming into that role. I just hope that if it doesn't go well they don't blame it on the fact that she's a woman or a mom.

 @ginidietrich I'm sure you saw the USA Today front page yesterday.Why it chose to print the most unflattering picture of Marissa I've ever seen speaks to the very issue you're so fired up about. Maybe the conversation will change now that everyone knows how much she's making to take on such a monumental task. Or maybe not.

@carinakit http://t.co/Iu1MRHob

I think Yahoo is an obvious next step for Marissa in her career so should could move up in the ranks and show what she can do. I'm not sure, however, that it was the right move for Yahoo. They are a publicly traded company and bringing in somone new to this role (I know she's not new to the industry) can be risky. That being said, the reason this is such a big deal I think has less to do with the fact that she's a woman, but more to do with Yahoo struggling so much lately, having an identity crisis, and not konwing how to move their business forward. I look up to Marissa Mayer as one of my idols in the industry, and I hope she can bring a fresh, productive perspective to Yahoo. I am still skeptical, however, that it will solve their problems.

That being said, it has NOTHING to do with the fact that she's a woman. We've seen men fail in this role, it's a tricky one all together.

@jeffreypjacobs @ginidietrich Thank you! I don't understand why a pregnant CEO is the front page of biz sections.

Truly feel this conversation should not be happening at all today.  Women are allowed a choice to do what they want to do with their lives.  This only irks me that this at all a national topic of discussion!  

Commented more or less the same on a post on HBR http://bit.ly/OcOUQN This is yet another of the many 'if she were a man, it wouldn't matter' issues. It's her abilities and expertise, her experience and quality of work that are relevant, nothing else. Alas it's fodder for news as media outlets apparently get clicks and eyeballs waxing on about work life balance. And being sexist trolls. What gets me still is the double standard. Debated w/ someone the other day, a woman being hyper critical of a woman on TV (one of those HGTV shows) choosing to be a stay at home mom. I was just.. damn. Everyone has their own ideas of family, marriage, parenthood. We need to stop, just stop with these ridiculous ideas - and pandering judgements - that it's either or, that it's somehow wrong, a failing if life sometimes conflicts with work, that it's 'all' or none. That happens to us all -- men, women, married, single, parent, not. Period. FWIW.

@AlexNCollins Pleased to have you!

@CynthiaSchames LOL! I"ll gladly share it with you!

@ginidietrich in light of the disclosure of her overall pay, people do need to shift focus from her sex and pregnancy to something else.

@ginidietrich when are we hanging out again for drinks? Another date with you and @conversationage is overdue :)

I've been thinking about this a bit, and I'm still pretty pissed off about how sexist most of the coverage of Mayer's appointment has been.  But when I think about how I would write this story on my own terms, I think the pregnancy is pretty important - it would seem odd to NOT mention it, since it is a first.

So how would *I* handle this?  First of all, if she were a man I would mention having a young and/or growing family - but only in passing.  And in this case, I think it deserves just a bit more than that.

We're dealing with a rather unconventional person here - a real leader in many ways who has taken several unusual paths.  Signing up with google so early on and taking that risk is worth mentioning.  A programmer rising to a management position is important.  The interview with Lady Gaga deserves a mention, just for weirdness.  And the pregnancy can be included in that same paragraph.

So I don't think it should be entirely left out - that would stand out as a glaring admission to many people.  But some context for understanding that Mayer is a person who does things her own way would make it a much more rich story.  Throw in how Yahoo! needs some fresh air and you have a pretty good story, I'd say.

But I would never offer "advice" or a comparison to Fiorina.  That's just dumb and sexist.

(note:  I'm from the East, and we refer to people we don't know by last name.  Women, too.  The only time it gets weird is when you reference "Clinton", so the title "Secretary Clinton" is handy.  Calling Mayer "Marissa" in an article just looks sexist and wrong, IMHO.)

@chicagocomms Thank you!

I agree. We really shouldn't be bothered how many weeks she might take off because of her baby or how she chooses to raise her baby with such a huge job to take care of.... so irrelevant, as long as she gets her work done all right and takes Yahoo to a better place, I wouldn't be bothered if she brings her baby to work.... that would be fun though... Hmmmm...

@kreebeau I know! @GiniDietrich

 @ginidietrich I think it is really sad that in 2012 this keeps coming up. As someone who spent a long time in corporate life I can tell you that there are many men, and some women!, who think that a woman who pursues a career is an oddity and something to be commented on. These are the same people who start sentences with "I'm not a racist but.....", or "I'm not homophobic but...." These people are to be avoided at all costs, and let's not give them airtime!

@ginidietrich Woah. Had not heard the term "glass cliff" before. Ouch.

@ginidietrich Any time a minority (gender/race) lands a prominent gig, the pontification arcs can get greasy & stupid. More power to her!

I'm noticing there are 2 camps of women. The camp that sees this as a non-issue and the camp that is glad this is an issue (because it gives them an opportunity to pursue the discussion of equal treatment from companies despite the "short term disability" of being pregnant). 

Personally, having a 10 month old and a career I can say I am very, very tired much of the time right now. And my career won't such up as much time as Marissa's will, so in my eyes, she's a super hero. Somebody give her a cape. I don't know how people (men or women) operate on so little sleep. Maybe that's the story the media should lead with: "Super Hero Runs On 4 Hours of Sleep Per Week And Survives".

@ginidietrich completely agree with you on that. media in the Czech Republic are even worse saying yahoo must be nuts to hire her :|