I also had a status update meeting with these two ego-filled men I've mentioned who have been trying to challenge me. I did well and I am proud of myself for it. I did my due diligence research to back up my stance and I presented my data in yesterday's meeting to the group. I think I proved and supported my point effectively because I got the group to support me in wanting more of something that was lacking in their work for the company blog. So, yay for me! I stood my ground, being the most senior member on that team aside from the agency Director who is in charge of the agency's team. He was on yesterday's call listening in.

I had brought the issue to the Director's attention with his more junior team member who had disrespected and disregarded my professional input and opinion on the blog strategy the other day. I met with the the Director 1:1 on Wed and expressed my concerns and stance. I told him that I have 11 years of SEO experience and 5 years of content marketing experience, and was blunt and said that I know what I am talking about. I also requested that if his more junior team member needs to disagree with me, that we take the conversatIon offline for further discussion, and to not disagree with me openly on team calls. That's what I felt was disrespectful. I am, after all, more senior to this team member. He has only 3 years of dedicated SEO experience, yet he carries a Senior SEO Strategist title. I have 8 more years of industry experience than he does. I do view him as far more junior, but I respect his input as well. And that's fine. He will have good insights and great experience to offer, but in the end, I expect him to defer to my judgement, given that 1) I am the client, and the agency should adjust strategy if need be and if I make that request, and 2) I am more senior.

I am not full of ego - it's the opposite. Yet, when dealing with egotistical men in the workplace, and in my particular industry, I have found that it's important for me to stand my ground, support my stance with data and evidence, and to exert my authority as a female leader in a way that shows I have confidence.

And I think I accomplished that very effectively in yesterday's status call with this group. My boss was also on the call.