I’ve watched the Christine Holgate controversy with fan-girl obsession since it erupted late last year over her lavish gifting to her Exec team at Australia Post. Last week she broke her silence by delivering a powerful statement to the Senate in response to her sacking. Today she went deeper, accusing her former bosses of misogyny and bullying. She did so to publicly to call out the treatment she received, the appalling behaviours that have gone unchecked and to ensure no other person ever goes through what she has, again.
Sadly, that’s unlikely. In my experience misogyny and bullying runs deep in leadership.
I saw Christine Holgate give a talk at a Melbourne Business School speaker night in September 2019, where I am an alumnus. She was spectacular. Diminutive, warm, articulative, she offered honest and candid advice as she shared stories of her climb up the corporate ladder, her challenges and wins. She left the entire group of MBS professionals infinitely inspired. Frankly, we all left wishing she were our mentor or boss or that we could even bring her coffee each day, just for a chance to be in the orb of her brilliance. So, watching her demise so brutally and publicly last October was a shock.
It was impossible to reconcile that sharp, straightforward woman who clearly loved her job, with the reckless villain that was painted in the media. Some of us jumped straight into ‘how could she!’ whilst watching Mr Morrison’s scathing words about her behaviours and reading the endless media stories that followed. However, some of us twitched our collective noses and considered there might be another side to this story. We contemplated our own experiences, especially those, like me, who have worked in government owned, self-funded entities like Australia Post. This just felt wrong.
In my experience, misogyny and bullying runs deep.
Not long ago, I reported to a CEO of one of Melbourne’s premier landmarks, now an empty shell since CoVid struck the world. My Director role afforded me significant executive privileges. This included international and interstate travel, attendance at incredible events and the opportunity to meet and work with many of Melbourne’s leading businesspeople. The who’s-who of elite government social circles. What was immediately obvious to me was how ‘tight’ this little circle is. The ‘friendships’ based on favours owed, are enduring. If you play, you can basically get away with anything – whether it be behaviours, activities, decisions – anything, as long as you do something for someone, so you are owed a favour. And that can take any form. But if you don’t play, they’ll bury you.
Bullying in action
I personally witnessed this play out many times in this role. Including the aftermath of one of our Board Directors, partial to gin in excess, who sexually assaulted of my colleagues in a taxi after an event night. My colleague came to me the next day shaken and terrified. Not just because the Board Member was an influential business woman, the head of a major bank and important to my colleague’s success. This woman was friends with and superior to, our CEO. Both my colleague and I were still on our one-year probation; still trying to ‘prove’ ourselves – and she was terrified of causing a scene, reluctant to call it out.
Horrified, outraged, of course I encouraged her to do so. Our hapless CEO as was typical, chose to ‘think about his next action’. This never eventuated in any repercussions for the perpetrator.
My colleague did however keep her job.
All she had to do was pretend it didn’t happen. This was a favour to the CEO, whose style reminds me very much of Holgate’s description of the Chair of Australia Post, Lucio Di Bartolomeo: a bully and a liar. I however – the ‘troublemaker’, the ‘justice crusader’ – lost a job I loved, where I was popular and successful, just a few weeks later for doing no wrong at all except knowing too much.
Currying favour
A simple ‘contract ended’ and a ‘no reason required’ statement from the CEO and that was it. He refused to provide any reasons for my contract end, despite me pleading for an explanation, any evidence of wrong-doing, anything. He used his henchmen (or in this case henchwoman) to bully, intimidate and misrepresent me for weeks prior to my exit. This was to ensure that that his actions would ‘stack-up in court’, all whilst refusing to speak to me. After my exit, I was issued with a one line letter. It said I had been offered support and mentoring from my CEO prior to my departure (to improve the non-specific situation that apparently lead to my exit). However this too was a complete fabrication. This CEO simply did what he needed to do to ensure he could protect his superior, avoid scrutiny and thus ‘curry favour’ with his political masters.
Poor Leadership often hidden by favours owed and sought
Unlike the impressive Christine Holgate, mine was a CEO who compensated for his lack of intellect, personality or charisma, with his privilege, longevity and favours owed. A vain, uninteresting man, he spent an entire career determined to stay under-the-radar, much like his failed cricket attempts. This was a weak man. He was a weak leader who found his way to the top through doing what he was told by those above him. And he managed down the same way, following his HR Director instructions, least she expose his weaknesses and secrets. He used intimidation and powerplays to govern the rest of his Executive group. This was effectively in exchange for favours and support. And they happily obliged in order to secure Directorship nominations, opportunities and benefits.
Favours, alliances, intimidation, secrets: the executive group culture of government owned businesses.
When I watched Christine’s speech today in Parliament I was reminded of my own experience. The bullying, the misogyny, the lying, the strength of the collective ‘power circle’. A circle so determined to bury strong, capable, loud women… and the lasting damage it causes. A gender issue? Yes, but the heart of it is bullying, harassment, abuse of power and disturbing governance issues. As Christine urged the Senate Inquiry today to read her 154-page submission to the Senate in full, I too begged my Board of Directors to investigate the fabricated circumstances around my contract end and improper exit. But why would they? Alliances, favours, fear of retribution and secrets exposed.
These are cultures I have experienced first-hand. They are deep, enduring and endemic. That an extraordinary CEO like Holgate exists – brave, with integrity, strong – is an anomaly. In Christine’s case, the bullying culture was higher up the chain than my experience but the issues that run deep, of misogyny and bullying are exactly the same. I am so grateful for her strength in maintaining her dignity, speaking her truth, exposing her treatment and demanding accountability. Bravo! These leaders must be held to account. Sadly, I was not so strong; eventually depleted emotionally and financially, like so many others before me.
How I wish I could work for a leader like Christine Holgate. In the meantime, I will applaud her conviction, follow her story and would happily bring her a coffee any day, just to be in the orb of her brilliance, even for a moment.
therealceo