O MANNY's

Maybe all this unwanted sexual advances revelation and discrimination in the VC world, the startup and enterprise world will help shape a better work and business environment in the future. However something tells me this is an issue that will continue to exist as long people still need a flesh and blood human to fulfill their sexual desires. And when founders are not embracing diversity in a healthy way from the very start of their companies.

The reality is men and women have desires. Some know how to fulfill their needs responsibility and some don’t know how. Some know how to exploit other people’s vulnerability or blow things out of proportion for attention, money or something else. It is a conundrum to engage someone you really find sexually attractive but have to clearly find ways to separate business from pleasure or not be in a conflict of interest.

Some male dominated industries might be just a little extra hesitant now or cautious to recruit attractive women because of fear of being falsely accused or the fear of very few possible uncontrollable libido in business dealings.

Whatever the case, bellow is some tips and thoughts I found and just sharing. Not endorsing the people or the articles. Just use it as a starting point. Plus, there must be professional training providers of proper work place behaviors.



(different author’s content below)

Investor/Founder Sexual Harassment And Discrimination Policy

• Zero-tolerance for investors overtly sexually assaulting, harassing, or discriminating against founders or their teams
• Stern punishment for other violations of the policy
• Scope of those bound by the policy that beyond investment partners may include any investment decision makers including VC firm staff, advisors, scouts, board members, or anyone else that could retaliate against a founder, or influence the funding decision about a startup
• Scope of those protected by the policy beyond founders receiving investment, including founders who pitch or discuss potential investment with the firm, their fundraising teams, and potentially all staff, plus anyone the firm tries to recruit to their portfolio companies

Prohibited Forms Of Harassment Or Discrimination

Level A: Verbal Or Gender Harassment

• Inappropriate comments about physical appearance or romantic life
• Degrading sexual or sexist remarks, innuendos, and jokes

Level B: Direct Sexual Propositions

• Sexual advances including repeated requests for dates, drinks, or personal contact
• Inappropriate sexually-themed communication in person or online
• Sexual invitations including requests for sexual activity or romantic meetings at one’s home or hotel room

Level C: Sexual Coercion Or Bribery

• Quid Pro Quo harassment including implicit or explicit requests for sexual activity or silence about harassment in exchange for reward including funding, referrals, future employment, promotion, or invitation to exclusive events
• Sexual coercion under threat of punishment including defamation, firing, negative reviews, or blocking funding

Level D: Sexual Assault

• Unconsented physical contact of a sexual nature, including touching, groping, or kissing
• Sexual contact without proper consent due to intoxication
• Rape

Supplemental Recommendations

• Scheduling regular in-person anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training for all new and existing firm members
• Setting aside long-term funding to pay for outside independent review and mediation of disputed resolutions to complaints, such that mediators aren’t incentivized to protect the firm
• Avoiding non-disparagement clauses in contracts that are designed to silence those who are harassed or whistleblowers
• Proactively surveying portfolio companies regarding whether they or their colleagues have been harassed
• Disclosure to LPs, portfolio companies, staff, and when appropriate, the public, if someone is ejected from the firm because of sexual harassment or discrimination policy violations to discourage them engaging in the same behavior elsewhere

START- HERE---
A template for investor/founder sexual harassment policy
https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/05/harassment-policy-template/

The Silicon Valley blacklist
https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/02/silicon-valley-blacklist/

8 Blind Spots Between the Sexes at Work
https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/04/26/8-blind-spots-between-the-sexes-at-work/#3ab45bc9314d

How to Be Friendly (Not Flirty!) with Male Friends
http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/sex-and-love/how-be-friendly-not-flirty-male-friends

Meeting in the Middle: Networking With the Opposite Sex
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/222685

Women in tech are still an undervalued pipeline for innovation
https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/31/women-in-tech-are-still-an-undervalued-pipeline-for-innovation/

How to Be Just Friends with a Member of the Opposite Sex
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Just-Friends-with-a-Member-of-the-Opposite-Sex


VC Aileen Lee just offered some very specific advice to female founders looking for funding
https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/03/vc-aileen-lee-just-offered-some-very-specific-advice-to-female-founders-looking-for-funding/

Great Advice From Female Founders and Women in Venture Capital
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/great-advice-from-female-founders-and-women-in-venture_us_58d997b3e4b0e6062d92303a


Why Can’t Silicon Valley Solve Its Diversity Problem?
http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/why-cant-silicon-valley-solve-its-diversity-problem


Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm for Managing Diversity
https://hbr.org/1996/09/making-differences-matter-a-new-paradigm-for-managing-diversity

Diversity Doesn’t Stick Without Inclusion
https://hbr.org/2017/02/diversity-doesnt-stick-without-inclusion