--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an associate at McKinsey & Company, my…" description: "\"“As an associate at McKinsey & Company, my first assignment was on a team that consisted of a male senior engagement manager (SEM) and two other male a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/sheryl-sandberg-439_feminism_as-an-associate-at-mckinsey-company-my-f_1417413.png" --- # As an associate at McKinsey & Company, my first assignment… ![“As an associate at McKinsey & Company, my first assignment was on a team that consisted of a male senior engagement manager (SEM) and two other male associates, Abe Wu and Derek Holley. When the SEM wanted to talk to Abe or Derek, he would walk over to their desks. When he wanted to talk to me, he…” quote by Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/sheryl-sandberg-439_feminism_as-an-associate-at-mckinsey-company-my-f_1417413.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/sheryl-sandberg-439_feminism_as-an-associate-at-mckinsey-company-my-f_1417413.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f2/sheryl-sandberg-439_feminism_as-an-associate-at-mckinsey-company-my-f_1417413.png) > ““As an associate at McKinsey & Company, my first assignment was on a team that consisted of a male senior engagement manager (SEM) and two other male associates, Abe Wu and Derek Holley. When the SEM wanted to talk to Abe or Derek, he would walk over to their desks. When he wanted to talk to me, he would sit at his desk and shout, "Sandberg, get over here!" with the tone one might use to call a child or, even worse, a dog. It made me cringe every time. I never said anything, but one day Abe and Derek started calling each other "Sandberg" in that same loud voice. The self-absorbed SEM never seemed to notice. They kept it up. When having too many Sandbergs got confusing, they decided we needed to differentiate. Abe started calling himself "Asian Sandberg," Derek dubbed himself "good-looking Sandberg," and I became "Sandberg Sandberg." My colleagues turned an awful situation into one where I felt protected. They stood up for me and made me laugh. They were the best mentors I could have had.”” [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A senior manager used demeaning language, but teammates turned it into a supportive joke, creating solidarity and mentorship. **In simple terms:** Colleagues turned harassment into camaraderie. Key Takeaway Foster inclusive, respectful workplace culture. Themes workplace gender leadership bullying Mood reflective empathetic Type leadership culture When to use this quote - team meetings - performance reviews - training sessions - conflict resolution Key Concepts micro‑aggressions team dynamics mentorship Questions to Reflect On - What policies can prevent demeaning language at work? - How can allies effectively intervene without reinforcing jokes? A Different Perspective Humor can mask underlying power imbalances and may not address root causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) ## Related quotes > [“The need for managers with data-analytic skills The consulting firm McKinsey and Company estimates that “there will be a shortage of talent necessary for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-provost/the-need-for-managers-with-data-analytic-skills-the-consulting-firm/) Foster Provost > [The best mentors present their opinions simply as data and not as direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cohen/the-best-mentors-present-their-opinions-simply-as-data-and-not-as/) [David Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cohen/) > [My best mentor is a mechanic - and he never left the sixth grade. By any competency measure, he doesn't have it. 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Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind [Browse all 15,705 Feminism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As an associate at McKinsey & Company, my first assignment was on a team that consisted of a male senior engagement manager (SEM) and two other male associates, Abe Wu and Derek Holley. When the SEM wanted to talk to Abe or Derek, he would walk over to their desks. When he wanted to talk to me, he would sit at his desk and shout, \"Sandberg, get over here!\" with the tone one might use to call a child or, even worse, a dog. It made me cringe every time. I never said anything, but one day Abe and Derek started calling each other \"Sandberg\" in that same loud voice. The self-absorbed SEM never seemed to notice. They kept it up. 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