I’m gonna say something which might sound like a hot take for any men reading this, but almost certainly is a most lukewarm take for women and/or mothers.
Networking events in the evening are a punishment for working parents.
I don’t talk about this much, because my family is my business, and I don’t want to ‘score business points’ using the little ones, but, I’m a father of 2 young’uns.
Kids this young can’t be left alone longer than a couple of minutes, with you desperately trying to do a number 2 before the toddler barges in, Paw Patrol toy in hand, demanding to know what you’re doing, and then the baby starts crying because they can’t see you.
This is not a complaint, just a statement of fact. This is parenthood, we made our choices, we made our bed.
However, when you organise a networking event in the evening, what you’re basically telling professional couples is:
“OK, now you two get to have an argument over who goes to hobnob over wine and canapes, and who gets a massive headache minding two kids, making sure they take their bath, eat their dinner, and sleep some time before midnight.”
Which, sadly, usually, is often the woman in the relationship. Obviously, I am talking about cis relationships here; though gay couples have this just as bad.
Shock horror sexist talk you might say, but this is not just me talking.
This is women talking.
I spoke to my own wife and a colleague about this, both women, when I commented that an evening networking event I went to was very much like a metal concert, except in all-blue suits – a total sausage fest.
And both women told me, “Ħeqq Mark, where do you think the women were – mhux at home watching the men’s kids?”
Listen, networking is work, no? “Work” is right there in the name, correct?
So, do it during working hours, when the kids are at childcare or school, and when we’re supposed to be working.
I think we all agree in theory at least that we shouldn’t be working at 21:00 (unless our job is shift based or in catering, healthcare, emergency services etc etc).
So why not lead by example?
Speed networking lunch hour, from 12:00 to 13:00 exactly, a quick healthy bite to eat, pleasantries exchanged, business cards duly distributed, QR codes snapped, an express espresso, and back to your desk or to pick up or meet the kids after school so you can do dinner time and bath time and actually talk to your partner before you collapse into bed for an hour, until the toddler wakes up with a bad dream.
Would that be so horrible?
