The Fix: Overcoming the Invisible Barriers to Creating Cultures of Equality at Work

For years, we have heard that to succeed at work, we have to change—lean in, negotiate like a man, hold back on being nice. But Michelle King, Director of Inclusion for Netflix and author of the new book, The Fix, says we don’t need to fix women, we need to fix work—for the sake of women, men and the future of innovation.

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For years, we’ve been telling women that in order to succeed at work, they have to change themselves first—lean in, negotiate like a man, don’t act too nice or you’ll never get the corner office. But after 16 years working with major Fortune 500 companies as a gender equality expert, Michelle King has realized one simple truth—we don’t need to fix women, we need to fix work. Gender equality is not about women, and it is not about men—it is about creating a culture of equality and making workplaces work for EVERYONE.

In this episode, we explore the invisible barriers that hold women back at all stages of their careers, how gender inequality impacts women and creates challenges for men, and offer a clear set of takeaways to help everyone thrive despite sexism in the workplace, as we fight for change from within.

This Month’s Guest:

MICHELLE P. KING is a researcher, gender equality expert, and director of inclusion at Netflix. Previously the head of The Global Innovation Coalition for Change at UN Women, King is an advisory board member for Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation’s adolescent girl campaign. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Fix: Overcome the Invisible Barriers That Hold Women Back at Work. She also writes for Forbes, Thrive, Harvard Business Review, and is also the host of the weekly podcast, The Fix, which shares practical ways men and women can advance equality at work. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and two children. @michellepking

Our Host:

CELESTE HEADLEE is a communication and human nature expert, and an award-winning journalist. She is a professional speaker, and also the author of Heard Mentality and We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations that Matter. In her twenty-year career in public radio, she has been the executive producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Radio, and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as cohost of the national morning news show The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Headlee’s TEDx talk sharing ten ways to have a better conversation has over twenty million total views to date. @celesteheadlee