We’ve come a long way ladies! Or not.

Last night I attended a very successful ‘friend raising’ event in Toronto for Equitas: International Centre for Human Rights Education. Thanks to the generosity of the TD Bank, it was held on the 54th floor of a tower in one of the few Mies van der Rohe buildings in Canada.  The room overlooked the twinkling city below.  Simply breathtaking.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the board room of a bank.  The last time was 30 years ago when I was a freshly minted MBA.

I remember walking into the board room of the Bank of Montreal as if it was yesterday.  Not because of the no doubt important presentations that were made.  Not because of the incredible Canadian art that hung on the walls and stood on plinths along the hallway.  Not because of the endless walnut paneling and brass fixtures.  Not because of doors that were almost too heavy to open.  Not because of the rather small, simple, historic original board room table almost forgotten in the corner [somehow very touching surrounded as it was by all this opulence].  Not because of the incredibly long boardroom table that extended from one end of this enormous ball room sized room to the other. Not because of the over 60 blue leather and walnut chairs sitting around the table.  Or the matching leather mats at every place.

No, I remember that day because of the carpet.  It went on forever.  From the elevator, down the hall, into the reception area and then on into the board room.  As a woman in heels it was almost impossible to walk across that plush carpet without keeling over or twisting an ankle.  I knew then, if I’d ever had any doubts, that this was a place designed by men for men.

And so it was last night.  Just one thing had changed besides the glorious view and the name of the bank.  Today, the carpet didn’t fill the entire floor.  Instead, it sat like a plush [though still dangerous] island under the board room table. We’ve come a long way ladies.  And, we’re getting closer to the board room table if the carpet means anything.

Tags: Brand, Communications, Cultural norms