You’ve worked at your company for many years, turning out a performance that’s earned you several opportunities for advancement and promotion. You were excited about your future with the company only to one day find out that you’ve been replaced.
That seems to be the argument Rachel Nichols proffers during her clandestine conversation that turned out to be not so secret. But I’m not even referring to Rachel Nichols in the above scenario. No, I’m talking about what happened to Tamron Hall just four years ago when they made way for Megyn Kelly to come to the Today show. That’s the network so many are excited about Maria Taylor landing at.
Now far be it from me to begrudge anyone of their excitement over her new job. Hell, I too share in that joy. However, if the goal is to work for an employer that values diversity, inclusion and respecting women, the National Broadcasting Company hasn’t exactly been a pinnacle doesn’t have the best track record.
Then again can any company really hold that badge of honor?
In full disclosure I’ve worked for companies owned and operated by both Disney (which parents ESPN) and NBC in the past. In both cases I filed complaints with human resources regarding racial discrimination and a hostile work environment which went nowhere.
So, if I sound overly critical of these companies, perhaps it’s because I am. I’ve been burned enough on jobs to grow this defensive scab over my wounds. If you’re experience is different, that’s fine, I’d love to hear it, but this is my point-of-view. Nevertheless, I still like to think that I’m fair, but I don’t know; You be the judge.
In the meantime, I’ll be discussing what I thought were Maria’s wins, losses, and what this very public workplace conflict can teach you about the office politics you’ll encounter on the job.
First up…
The Wins
Um, she’s still employed, and gainfully employed to boot. How ‘bout that? Leaving your job without having another one already lined up is stressful as fuck. I don’t care if you quit, got fired, contract expired, when your next step is wondering what’s next, it’s an awful place to be in.
Maria, however, didn’t have that problem. Not only does she still have a job, but she’s moved on to what she called her dream job, covering the Olympics and the Super Bowl. Can’t beat that with a baseball bat.
She was able to get Rachel Nichols off the sideline reporting position for the NBA Finals. While I don’t believe Rachel Nichols comments had any malicious intent, I can understand why Maria wouldn’t want to work with her after everything that went down. Have you ever had to work with someone who you and others thought was disrespectful towards you? Ugh, the pits. She was blessed to not have to endure that indignity.
She knew her worth. Now when word got out that Maria was reportedly asking for Stephen A. Smith money, people on Twitter had a fit. They were like who she think she is? She crazy if she think she getting Stephen A money. She ain’t worth that much, he ain’t even worth that much. Stephen A. been there way longer than her…and on and on and on they kept going.
I literally don’t think I read a single comment where someone said, “good for her, she deserves it.” So let me say it, good for her she deserves it.
Now obviously there was no way in hell she was going to get Stephen A.’s coin, at least not right now in these ever-sexist, unequal pay times. But she had to put it out there. You have to let them know you want more even if it’s currently not an option, so that someday it will be. The more women do this, the less it will be a shock to the powers-that-be. It’ll become the norm and eventually they’ll have to pay up.
Now regarding those who say she’s not worth Stephen A. money because Stephen A. has been there longer, does more shows or whatever—peep this. That doesn’t matter, and here’s why. I remember back in my high school chemistry class the teacher once water reaches the boiling point it doesn’t get any hotter, it just keeps boiling until it all evaporates out.
I think it’s kinda the same thing with a salary. Once you get to a certain earnings bracket — I’d say a few million a year, but, hey, maybe even less – nobodies job performance justifies that much money.
I read somewhere that Stephen A. makes between 8 and 12 million dollars a year. I’m sorry, ain’t nothing he do worth that much money. Matter-of-fact, ain’t nothing that can be done in the field of sports journalism that’s justifies that much money. But the reason he commands that much money is…well, I believe several things:
1) He works in an industry that generates a lot of money.
2) The company doesn’t need many people do to his job, so they have more money to
give people who do his job.
3) He has the personality. He has stage presence. He’s interesting and entertaining.
All this has nothing to do with how long he’s been there.
So I guess Maria said, “Wait minute now. This company making all this money, and I’m contributing to them making all this money, it’s time for me to get a bigger piece of this pie.”
While it looks liked ESPN may have leaked that information to try and shame her. I hope lightbulbs go off in other women’s heads as well and they start to think, “Hey, I should be asking for the same salary as men too, maybe I should even be asking for more.” They can’t keep telling us no.
So in this situation, if it’s true, I believe Maria is showing she knows her worth, not simply because she asked for a bigger salary, but also because she realized she works in an industry that generates more than enough money to pay it.
She knew how to play the game. I remember the first time I went to the human resources office. My department was refusing to pass me for a higher-level ( I don’t want to give away too much because I’m going to put it in my book) even though I was excelling at my job. So I wrote a detailed complaint to HR and they called me up for an interview. They had several people working in that office, and one black lady. Interestingly enough they sent me to the black lady.
I had to see her several times. I mean, you can’t tell me, “if you notice anything else let me know,” and think I won’t take you up on it. Anyway, one day at the end of our conversation she said to me, “Why don’t you just play the game?”
But the truth is, I didn’t realize there was a game being played. And at 28, I was too set in my ways to start. Not that someone pushing thirty can’t change, it’s just that I really didn’t want to. I was never schooled in the insidious art of office politics, I just blindly walked into it. Instead of becoming one of those ones who knows how to pull the strings no matter their position, I got tangled up in them. I thought I could fight my way out, strictly-abide-by-the-rules my way out, out-smart my way out, but this thing was a labyrinth that swallowed me.
Not so for Maria Taylor.
My guess is part of the reason she had the courage to ask for the same pay as Stephen A. is because she came to the negotiating table with options. Knowing her contract was about to expire, her agent probably went to work, sniffing out other opportunities, seeing who else may be interested in order to have leverage at the negotiating table.
Once they realized they had takers, they felt comfortable enough to turn down the $5 million ESPN reportedly offered. They knew they could ask for that Stephen A. money. For at that point, however the ball bounced with ESPN, they know it would only be a win for Maria, no going home.
It looks to me like Maria just may have had ESPN by the balls, and in order to get her to turn them loose, they leaked the story about her asking for Stephen A. money so she could be perceived as a gold-digger. Then they leaked Rachel Nichols conversation to downplay her value at ESPN. In other words if other networks vying for her perceived her simply as a “diversity hire” to assuage the social times, rather than someone the company was looking to advance anyway, it would make her less desirable by other networks and therefore decrease the amount she’d be offered.
Of course, this is all purely a deduction, on my part, based on the information I’ve read. I have no insider tea, but it makes sense don’t you think?
Anyway, it didn’t work. Instead, the leaks (at least the Rachel Nichols one) had the reverse effect, recasting a light on ESPN’s atrocious record regarding the work experiences of women and other minorities at the company.
All of this came like a timely perfect storm for Maria. Her contract was set to expire on July 20th. Not sure if that was 12am or 11:59pm, however what that did mean was that there was a possibility that she could leave ESPN before the NBA Finals shows she was hosting were over.
It was reported however, that she agreed to stay on with ESPN through the end of the NBA Finals. At first I was like why would she do that, I would be out of there. But again, like I said, she knows how to play the game. I don’t.
I think she probably negotiated a deal with ESPN to void the non-compete clause (if she had one) in her contract, in exchange for staying at ESPN to the end of the NBA Finals. That’s how I think she popped up on NBC so soon afterward.
Overall, Maria was not falling for the okey-doke (By the way, I’m not really sure what the okey-doke is, it just seemed fitting right here. I’ll look it up later and see if I’m wrong.). After eight years of being on that job she was ready to make power and money moves. And she did, though I wouldn’t exactly call it check mate (you’ll have to get that answer later when I breakdown the losses.)
Diversity Matters. And the fact that young black girls can see this black woman in a male dominated field succeeding and doing well is awesome. But not only that, it’s important that young white girls, and Asian girls, and Hispanic girls see her as well for that matter. It’s also important that young boys see her and grown men and grown women. It’s important that everyone sees her and begin to process her appearance on these shows as the norm, a true reflection of our nation and the world.
So there you have it. That’s the wins.
Wow, I didn’t realize I was going to have so much to say on this matter. Then again, when do I ever not have so much to say.
I’m going to have to break this thing up into segments.
Be sure to come back next week for part II – the losses.
Leave a Reply