Unconscious Bias Goes Double for Boomer Saleswomen (March Referral Selling Insights)

Does age really matter in sales?
 
“Explain it so your grandmother would understand.”
That’s exactly what the CMO of a tech company said about how to explain your mission statement. I was listening to his podcast at 7:00 on a Monday morning, and I was ready to kick butt. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard the grandmother reference. I’ve heard it for mothers, as well, but never for fathers or grandfathers.
It’s insulting and degrading to suggest dumbing anything down for grandmothers, because we’re not dumb or out of touch with the modern world. There are grandmothers in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. Many of us are still in the workforce and still listening to business podcasts.
I doubt this CMO knew he was insulting women. This is only one example of the unconscious bias that continues today, against women and against people of a certain age. (If you’d like