And although in my career I haven’t met direct or extreme discrimination, certainly when I was younger and at the start of my career, it did come up as age bias. Limited experience then sometimes was considered limited ability. In meetings, my ideas were sometimes summarily tossed aside or decisions happened without really listening to my input — just because I was one of the youngest people in the room. Not evident discrimination, but it did affect how confident I was at work. It gave me a belief that I had to work harder than others to be taken seriously. Over time, however, as I accumulated a track record, that dynamic shifted. For me, it has become more valuable: Now nearly two decades into my career, I am listened to more every time — though I understand that having experience doesn’t mean you’re the expert. This has helped me to get a clearer understanding of how subtle discriminations, like assumptions based on age or perceived seniority, can shape motivation and engagement. It also underscored the importance of managing with competence, and the worth of individuals (not tenure or stereotypes).
Thank you for reading my personal experience.
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