Dear Hornbies -

(Scratching my head again, trying to think of something entertaining or interesting to say, just to keep this experimental blog going!)

Last night I met up with two close friends in a restaurant.  One had just come back from a conference in the US.  She works for a company that sells oxygen to hospitals and other gases to industry worldwide.  She's on the computer programming side (so I haven't got a clue what she really does!). 

It was interesting hearing how at the conference so many of the salespeople ignored her - presumably because she wasn't dressed in a sharp suit!  She's very friendly though, so she'd ask them gently to tell her about their products ... When they realised what a big company she was representing, their jaws dropped and suddenly they were interested in her. 

It shows how much attention we still pay to 'uniforms', status symbols and stereotypes.  And perhaps, also, how important communication skills are in breaking through those barriers.

Best wishes -

Penny