Such behavior is indeed rude and unprofessional, and sadly, all too frequent. I try to remember such experiences when I'm feeling especially plagued by a 'vendor.' I don't always succeed; I'm sure I've left more than one person wondering what ever became of me. But anyone who has ever looked for a job or a piece of business or a connection of some kind should remember what it's like to be on the receiving end of such boorish behavior.

I don't blame you for feeling frustrated at being ignored, portrayed as clueless and marginalized. Most women have learned a thing or two about that over the course of their lives. Which is why we all should know better. Men and women deserve equal respect and an equal voice, whether it's in silly television ads or the workplace. I don't subscribe to the notion that one has to lose out for the other to gain. No one should. In fact, when both sides are equally valued, the result is always better.

Bless you, Tuck. Enjoy whatever adventure you're now embarked on, healthy and sound as RepMan says.

I see benefits in people coming together at least some. It's often easier to exchange information and share ideas over an in-person conversation that it is through a lengthy email exchange. Still, there are tools that should really take the place of email and facilitate near in-person meetings, like MS Lync, that continue to foster working together. And if you hire good, trusted employees, they will be committed to getting their work done well, even if that's at home at least some of the time. Partly because it is now considered by some sources to have the worst traffic in the country and partly because of an entrepreneurial culture, the Bay Area less and less defines work as taking place a fixed set of hours at a fixed place. So Mayer's decision will keep the headhunters busy. Too bad. She was making real strides in returning to a cool place to work at, and eventually, with.

I was in the room with you, Rep, and i think you did listen. But we didn't act on what we heard in the moment. We should have stopped, turned off the presentation and said, "We need to scrap what we prepared based on what you just told us. Let's start over," even if it meant we were a bit embarrassed that what we put together wasn't on target. Instead, we tried to reinforce some of our media relations successes as part of the broader campaigns. Too subtle. Given the other concerns cited, I don't know that this was even the deciding factor. But shame on us if we don't learn from the experience.

There's a lot of info out there from organizations such as Catalyst that shows women can and do mentor one another, both formally and informally (some of the most successful models, btw, seem to be formal mentoring programs in which senior executive men mentor emerging women leaders. Both learn a lot). The key seems to be a company culture that fosters development because the company recognizes how important it is to keep employees, male or female. As for women working inside or outside of the home -- I agree -- plenty of conflict and guilt. My own view is that our great grandchildren may finally get it right, where fathers and mothers trade off and share in rearing children and making money and building careers. Probably sounds Pollyanna, but other countries have made real progress in this area.

RepMan, I agree with your point about the decline of male representation hurting our industry. It hurts any industry -- or government body or church -- not to have different points of view represented. And I'm troubled that the industry isn't doing more about it, beginning at the college level, where it sounds like at least some professors are oblivious. The only troubling point was your note back to GoToPEngel, when you referenced reverse discrimination. I don't think that's the problem. But it could be if this continues. There are plenty of studies out there -- mostly about women in male-dominated industries -- that show how we tend to hire and promote people who are like us.

This is a tough one, but I vote for how perfectly it represents the gap between customers and marketers. Bravo, Dandy -- you've found some gems in 2011.

Great visual, as seems to be the norm for the RepMan blog. It seems to me that such problems as you experienced, Beth, (Seriously? No tires available in all of SFO??) have become so commonplace that airline employees become inured to passengers' frustration. It's like the surgeon who has dealt with so many cancer patients that he can no long empathize with the very people who are keeping him employed. They at least are required to take sensitivity training periodically to remind them they are messing about with fellow human beings' lives. I don't see airlines shelling out the money for that anytime soon.

Like yours, my kids are older now, so I revel in the luxury of traveling without worrying about towing all kinds of paraphernalia and praying for sleep-filled flights. I, too, like my restaurants and plane rides to be fussy toddler-free, but I do have some compassion for the parents of a normally well-behaved child who just has a meltdown. They're exhausted and stressed from trying to keep their child from bothering others while they fly to vacation or have a meal out with the grandparents. I, on the other hand, get to go home to my toy- and diaper-free home. Can you find a little sympathy (and patience) at least in some cases, RepMan?

Ironic, Courtney, that your guest post on this subject appears on the very day the 'World' is shut down for gross errors in editorial judgment. Editors must feel such intense pressure for sales -- and to satiate a nearly insatiable public curiosity on the private lives of others -- to resort to such strange and destructive behavior. My grandfather was editor of a respected Midwestern newspaper. I don't suppose he'd recognize his chosen field these days.

I'd have to agree. I like the Brendan/Ray one, too, but we really should get an actual side-by-side for greatest effect.

Nice to seeing you feel so good about aging, RepMan. You're in a good place. I agree about the sense of freedom, which in itself is very energizing. And hey, just because the young woman called you 'sir' doesn't mean she didn't think you look good.

How about "soyanara"? I don't think you should conflate a nasty tasting drink with green products. The latter -- at least the real ones -- are meant to preserve the planet. Have you looked at the weather lately? I'd rather have fewer household goods and foods that are better for me and the earth than overpackaged, overprocessed alternatives.

What a great endorsement for a book. I can't wait to read it. Someone should write a sequel that includes the media properties that cover the industry. Eye-gouging level ethics for a few of them, too.

I guest blogged several months back on serial prospects, which may be even worse. You know, the companies that don’t choose your agency the first time – and maybe choose no one – but then come back and say, “We really need you.” Or not. I can now add another company to that list. This one had me absolutely fooled. They'd make a mistake in choosing another agency that turned out not to be a good fit, they were definitely going with us,etc., etc. Crickets.

I hear you, biffo. I'm sure Met fans like RepMan would be only too happy to talk about the slime that covers that hallowed ground. Personally, I'd take the crappiest seats there over BART ones any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Thanks for sharing our pain, Steve. Funny, though. Some of the good, the bad and the ugly that you've experienced is different from what I am seeing at the moment. For instance,one of the most satisfying experiences we have had in the past year is working alongside top executives of start-ups, and having them value both our counsel and craft, and their impact on the bottom line. We've also been able to move quickly and decisively to take advantage of narrow windows of opportunities. Of course, we've still encountered executives with monstrous egos and poor manners, and waaaay too much insistence on jargon in news releases. But, perhaps because cleantech companies have to quickly behave like industrial manufacturers if they are to survive, many seem willing to put their start-up antics aside and focus on partnering to get the job done. It makes me hopeful for the planet's future and Peppercom's.

Hmmph. Wish I could say the same.

Oh yes, please. I assume that's 8:30 ET, 5:30 my time?

I thought the timing was awfully tough on the newly ex-Yahoo employees, too, Danielle. It must be pretty demoralizing for everyone who's left, too, because if you're working for a company that lays off people at this time of year, how much can they really care about employees? But it could be worse; take a look at how Sanofi-Aventis laid off 1700 employees a couple of weeks ago: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/17/rugmaker-lays-off-1700-vi_n_798442.html

Atta girl, Julie. They'll be sorry they messed with you.

You got me, Chris. They probably did what they did just so I wouldn't darken their doors again.

Julie, I noticed on Yelp that you're not alone among unhappy customers. I also noticed that a number of locations have closed. Economy notwithstanding, surely the latter has something to do with the former.

Glad I could make you laugh, Lunch. Plus doesn't the picture of Ernestine make you think of me? :)