Here goes my .02 cents:
Regardless of the corporate nature and all around general good-guys image the company has, it also has an outward image and consciousness of the fact some people's stomach is turned by the idea of gay.
My gay relative worked her way up in the mid 70s/early 80s. Her partner for corporate chit-chat was her roommate. No if's and's or but's. That was her private life and she was adjusted enough to know that it was more important for work for her job ability to be forefront and not her personal life. There were plenty of people in her working relationships that knew full well her roommate was her partner. And the hell with the rest of them.
Corporate image is directly related to social image. You want the chance to move up, then it might be in your best interest to take the critique and implement it in your public persona. Adapt to the environment and replace the term boyfriend with roommate. Know your audience can mean, assume the worst and present the best. You cant change peoples minds over a social lunch so dont gamble your future on a social idea when the purpose of the lunch isnt about such things. Without knowing each persons background around that table (goat farmer with kids?), how do you know that persons psychology wont mean from this point on, he doesnt remember anything about you at all, but that your gay?
For all intents and purposes, the gathering was to promote your work and ability.
Anyways, thats what I think the critique was about.
Regardless of the corporate nature and all around general good-guys image the company has, it also has an outward image and consciousness of the fact some people's stomach is turned by the idea of gay.
My gay relative worked her way up in the mid 70s/early 80s. Her partner for corporate chit-chat was her roommate. No if's and's or but's. That was her private life and she was adjusted enough to know that it was more important for work for her job ability to be forefront and not her personal life. There were plenty of people in her working relationships that knew full well her roommate was her partner. And the hell with the rest of them.
Corporate image is directly related to social image. You want the chance to move up, then it might be in your best interest to take the critique and implement it in your public persona. Adapt to the environment and replace the term boyfriend with roommate. Know your audience can mean, assume the worst and present the best. You cant change peoples minds over a social lunch so dont gamble your future on a social idea when the purpose of the lunch isnt about such things. Without knowing each persons background around that table (goat farmer with kids?), how do you know that persons psychology wont mean from this point on, he doesnt remember anything about you at all, but that your gay?
For all intents and purposes, the gathering was to promote your work and ability.
Anyways, thats what I think the critique was about.