Agency boss suspended after claiming women are happier not being in senior roles

Did I see Kevin out for lunch with Eddie McGuire the other day?

So the company motto is ” Viva la Difference! ”
Then they want to sanction a man for suggesting there might be a gender difference in aspirations leading to happiness.
Screw PC. If this company had any sense at all it would hold on to a man who voices his true opinions instead of kowtowing to PC fascism.

Crush the white guys. Take their jobs. Accuse them of harassment. Make their lives miserable. They are worthless.

I’m confused at this article. The person said that women are offered roles with no discrimination. The person stated that men take up those roles more than women based on personal choice. These offers were made without coersion or discrimation based on gender. The statements are related to statistical differences in outcomes.

What is your definition of sexism? This doesn’t seem to be about sexism, rather stating that there is an interesting difference in career choices where there is no discrimination.

Please state your definition of sexism?

You don’t value a person just because they voice their “true opinions” – you value a person with logical, unbiased, non-sexist, rational opinions.

That’s not “facism”, it’s common sense.

Male pale stale FAIL. ‘ the women like doing the work…,,, what like ironing” ? He can voice his opinion but the world has changed and he’s in the dinosaur camp. Change , leadership and mentoring start at the top and it’s his role to help pull great talent thru. An ad agency needs great diversity to garner all views. Stats show when you have gender parity you have a 10 per cent increase in net profit and even more in shareholder value. He’s actually hurting the bottom line. He’s not capable to be in this position and holds rigid views on what else. This is what living misogny looks like. And he’s infecting Oz no wonder womens start ups are at an all time high. Good women leave.

Leadership ambition and gender are not related. It’s simply not like that anymore. I’m proud to work for a company that supports leadership develoment with a blindness to gender. But if the senior leaders of my company had this view it would have been much more difficult for me to be in the role I’m in today. This may seem like an innocent “tell it as he sees it” comment but it speaks volumes about how far we still have to go.

He wasn’t sacked because he said something sexist – he was sacked because he did not show the requisite level of leadership on such an important and topical issue in our industry.

This guy is a global leader in a large company with 80,000 people and in that position, expected to show high degree of thought leadership on the issue of lack of gender balance in senior roles in the industry. Its clear he doesnt think much of the issue by himself saying “i dont spend any time at all” on this.

Well done Publicis – move on the ageing dinosaur who sees no issue of gender imbalance when all the statistics and public opinion and mood say otherwise.

Including the ladies almost everyone in advertising in this country went to a predominately white, private school. So while addressing the gender imbalance, how about we address the socio-economic / racial balance?

Wore than that, check out the picture of him
In the chair – he’s a manspreader.
http://mentakingup2muchspaceonthetrain.tumblr.com/

Bringing Kev Roberts name into disrepute. I pray he brings a lawsuit against your jumped up millenial arse and closes you down. This man has done nothing but good for our industry as a consumate professional and equally across all genders.
Pete Cashmore should have you put on garden leave to experience what the innocent have to suffer at the hands of evil, ugly pricks like you.
Go Kev Roberts… a talent most can only dream about especially lowly scum journos (award winner bullshit) at what used to be a respected publication. Bye Mumbrella!

An industry news story, fairly reported by a trade journal – nothing to see there. Roberts through word and deed appears unaware or at the very least insensitive to the appropriate way to approach an issue affecting many of his staff. But to me the most disgraceful part of this episode is the disloyalty and hypocrisy of Levy in his memo to all staff. Great example of thought crime where guilt rather than innocence is assumed due to his gender, race and age.

The really sad thing is not Robert’s stupid conduct here, it is that there are people prepared to defend it.

This comment thread is gold. Poor middle-aged white men having to cope (or as is evident, not coping) with the realisation that they don’t have the advantage over women and POC anymore simply because of their gender and race.

My heart breaks.

For an industry that professes to “understand people”, figures like Kevin Roberts are doing a crap job of it.

Creative leadership today isn’t doing what Kevin Roberts did which is shooting his mouth off about a highly sensitive issue that is a genuine problem in the industry. By doing so, Roberts lost the respect of many an employee within the Publicis network of companies.

I’m equally surprised by some of the reactions to this article on Mumbrella which reported on the issue.

Maurice Levy showed genuine leadership in placing Roberts on a leave of absence and he would do the industry a favour by dismissing him altogether. Replace Roberts with a tenacious, proven creative leader to happens to be a women and create a new template for leadership. Our industry needs it as many are choosing alternative career paths and industry churn has never been higher then what it is now in Australia.

I used to respect Kevin and his love marks spiel when I entered the industry in 1998. Sadly, he is in a long line of out of touch execs (Former JWT NY CEO among them), who’s sexist and out of touch views reduce value in society rather than create the impact that comms and marketing agencies aspire to have.

Sadly its actual quite defining of very senior agency leadership in our business. This is not PC Facism but a real insight into a misunderstood prejudice. Publicist reaction is to be applauded, for now, it remains to be seen how this will be managed out.

This makes me consider more than how prejudice can prevent people of progressing in the industry but more over how these attitudes actually make people feel. Im sure the comments from Roberts had no ill intent. These views are what he believes to be true.

… much like the men and women who spat at Ruby Bridges, a 6 year old Louisiana girl trying to go to school in 1960. They also thought their views were well meaning.

Kev Baby is not part of the solution. Cindy G most certainly is. Mummy is but a messenger.

People like uber bully Gallop and her lynch mob are obsessed with race and gender, and the way they talk about white men makes them the actual sexists and racists (no, really! Look up the definitions). The only diversity that really matters is intellectual diversity and diversity of opinion, and in that respect it’s clear that we’re becoming more and more like Cindy Gallop every day: a bunch of entitled, sanctimonious, anti-intellectual, hypocritical, narcissistic bullies.

As for opportunity, we have equality of opportunity in Australia, UK and USA in 2016 (except for all the programs, awards and affirmative actions that favour women, but hey, let’s not talk about those).

Here’s what a couple of prominent ex-feminists think about what’s going on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv7LvRhvgNI

Publicis would not suspend anyone lightly, and I say good for them for taking this stand. At this point it seems there is no confirmation that this is a permanent decision, and no doubt plenty of robust investigation is under way. A few public comments are often only a hint to a much larger problem that may well be quite vast. The reporting of this and the language used by Mumbrella is not going to be the ultimate decider here, so I don’t think people should get worked up about it in this forum. The people in the business that have been undermined, the numbers, and the facts will talk. Let’s trust that the right thing is done, a message is sent to others in the industry that are equally as prejudice, and we no longer have to tolerate this bias.

(At the same time, can we not employ the wrong women either…just to get the numbers up?? Best people should shine)

Unfortunately for Kevin he showed poor judgement. Poor judgement for someone at his level is pretty serious. He’s supposed to know better or at least have a filter between his brain and his mouth. To talk on behalf of the career aspirations of half the population is just dumb.

All he needed to say was “Publicis is an organisation where anybody can be whatever they want to be regardless of race or sex.” Seems to me anybody male or female can decide they would rather be a practitioner than a manager, that’s not a career decision available only to women.

Here you go. If you cannot figure out what the fuss is about, watch this video and learn. http://www.ted.com/talks/shery.....en_leaders

The real meaning of diversity is valuing differences. Unfortunately, the industry debate on diversity has been reduced to primarily a debate about the lack of women in senior creative, management and board positions. Then the debate becomes distorted when it turns to hiring on merit regardless of gender as there is clearly a disproportionate lack of women in these roles. It is a solid indication that people are not being hired on merit at all as women in spite of their skills and experience are largely not hired.

A large number of women however are hired in the industry; primarily in administrative and junior management roles. Over 60% of people in these roles are women. But this is where women’s participation slowly dwindles and a new crop of willing young women join the industry. Woe betide any woman who chooses to have a family then return to the industry in a full time role or chooses to pursue promotion of any kind.

This pattern also results in fewer and fewer males being attracted into the industry in the above roles which in turn results in a gender imbalance across these roles. Men having an inability to fall pregnant do not come with a built-in redundancy factor.

But diversity is about so much more than just gender. The industry has a culture of working excessive hours to gain valuable experience and skills to gain that promotion that so many strive to achieve. The reality is that ageism is a large elephant in the boardroom of many agencies. The industry prides itself on being a young and innovative. Men and women over 40 and beyond find themselves with an early use-by date and are quite simply pushed out of the industry as they don’t fit the agency stereotype.

So what is the industry left with for its future? Ageing males at the top who will clearly be replaced by another generation of males and very few women. Very few men entering the industry in admin and junior management roles effectively presenting little future for men or women in the industry. And if they do manage to survive to a certain age, they will be pushed out. There are also no mentors to turn to guide, challenge and grow people as mentors are pushed out with age.

What kind of future is the industry building when it is clearly focused on the short term and fails to understand the true meaning of diversity?

Tim,

To be fair, he’s talking about most women, not all women. After several decades in the industry, couldn’t it be he actually has a representative number on which to base his statements?

What if he’s right? Instead of demonstrating he’s wrong (they never use numbers, only feelings. As if there aren’t men who’d love to be in senior management, but never make it) he’s suspended. Censored. It’s absolutely crazy.

“We have a bunch of talented, creative females, but they reach a certain point in their careers … 10 years of experience, when we are ready to make them a creative director of a big piece of business, and I think we fail in two out of three of those choices because the executive involved said: ‘I don’t want to manage a piece of business and people, I want to keep doing the work’,”

As one of the most independent and credible media in Australia and certainly our industry, I’m disappointed Mumbrella jumps on the feminist bandwagon with their war on white men so easily and uncritically. A man just got suspended for an un-PC statement. That’s a big problem and a symptom of something far more sinister.

Here’s what he also said (from B&T) that you conveniently left out:

“So they say: ‘We are not judging ourselves by those standards that you idiotic dinosaur-like men judge yourself by’. I don’t think [the lack of women in leadership roles] is a problem. I’m just not worried about it because they are very happy, they’re very successful, and doing great work.”

Sort of softens the blow a bit, doesn’t it? He’s complimenting women, saying they’re smarter than conformist old men and talented. He just has a different conclusion about what’s taking place in practice.

I wonder why these women don’t want to advance into senior roles? Don’t they have wives at home, raising their children, cooking their dinners, and maintaining their homes? Don’t they want to spend their middle age working late into the night, and then drinking with colleagues? Well, it’s their choice.

Should of been fired for the atrocious love marks concept/book.

@penny and @yeah nah

Your perspective on the issue is a narrow and simplistic one, coloured by a mind made up. Shouting slogans is easier than thinking for yourselves, and feminism offers a way for you to blame everything on someone else. I understand the appeal.

But please have a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv7LvRhvgNI

Two old-school feminists on why today’s feminism is madness. Please, let me know if it makes you change you minds just a tiny little bit.

Btw @Penny

Why do you talk about men as if we’re all in it together? As if we rule the industry together? Having been bullied from my job by my female boss twice, I resent you suggesting I benefit from some kind of white male privilege. I’d love a management position, but I won’t get one. Unfortunately, I have no one to blame but myself. Boo hoo!

to all the dudes whinging on here that Tim dare to write this article, you’re totally right – you are a special snowflake and you are the only one with the special skills, alpha dog management nous and supreme intellect to carry out these roles in this industry. women love getting paid less and not being listened to!! besides we’d probably spend all the extra money on make-up and shopping!

What makes me really cringe while reading the comments about KR on this and every other ad industry site, is the vitriol from many of those who are blindly defending him. Sadly, some of the more poisonous comments have done nothing to advance his case but merely prove that ‘gender issues’, and other matters of diversity and tolerance are well and truly embedded problems in our industry.
I’ve seen some comments suggesting that our industry is no worse than many others, as if that is an excuse.
Well it isn’t. If there is any industry that should lead the way in terms of diversity and tolerance in general, it should be advertising, if for no other reason than we are supposed to be a creative environment to work in, plugged into, and reflective of contemporary culture and society – it’s how we’re supposed to help our clients connect with consumers.
Unfortunately, the truth tends to be quite different, as this is an industry that’s top heavy with older white guys still trying to be ‘hip.’….. but then making hopelessly out of touch statements and leadership decisions – think David Brent, but less funny and a damn sight more damaging to real progress.
For those who don’t buy into the above, then perhaps the following may convince you why KR’s stance is damaging to the industry in general, and Publicis Groupe / Saatchi & Saatchi in particular.
As a chairman of a major global industry player, and ‘Lead Coach’ for the wider group, he is a senior member of a global corporation.
He should have well-developed cultural insight, the empathy to understand the magnitude and depth of feeling on the issue, and an obligation to everyone within the group to look at the issue objectively and act appropriately.
He did not, and that has put his employer in an untenable position.
Finally, and to be clear, I myself am one of those older white guys (and my adult children are quick to point out that not only am I not ‘hip’, the very fact I use the term proves it). However, I still enjoy working in the industry.

This is a clear case of give a voice to the loudest, and don’t mention the war. Where is the court that decides what is sexist and what is not?
Who has proven intent here? Is a person entitled to an opinion or not?

This is the kind of political warring that belongs in totalitarian regimes, the very stuff that makes up jingoism and promotes KGB type activity.
Feminists and individual women have a right to their opinions, but they are not always right, neither do they make policy and rules for freedom of speech and opinion.

Fundamentally, if you are responsible for the career development of 80,000 people in a global agency network, you are accountable for ensuring that you are across and understand the issues involved in diversity and inclusion, have formal plans on how to at least begin to deal with the many issues involved in what is a very complex set of topics, and take a thought leadership role on the issues involved.

If you can’t do that, and Kevin Roberts obviously can’t from his comments, you don’t deserve the job. Publicis Groupe would do well to extend this to finding a replacement who is up to the task.

Since he is (wankily) called ‘head coach’ – perhaps a bit of coaching would be appropriate.

Man, I’m glad I’m no longer a middle-aged white man – they’re being demonised!

Double bias. Women here. Asian. New to Australia…

My first CD was a woman. I was definitely hired based on my looks. How do I know? She told me.

She also only hired men. Her entire department.

Why?

Maybe it was the fact she was still single at the ripe young age of 30. She definitely put the word on us more than once. But it’s pretty awesome for anyone to become CD at age 30.

The other reason might be what she told us. ‘I don’t want to hire difficult people. Women are difficult.’

Now we thought that was a bit sexist. But that was her opinion. And as a woman, she’s entitled to it.

We’re all victims when it suits us, but we’re all winners when it doesn’t.

Be a winner.