Little experiment

Switching places, at least over email. Also, 7 other things worth your time.

Meet Marty Schneider. Alternatively, meet Nicole Hallberg.

As Nicole and Marty tell their story, they worked for a business rewriting clients' resumes. They reported to their company's founder, who both Marty and Nicolle say they thought was kind of sexist.

But, the unexpected sexism in this job, Marty explained, came from clients. (Unexpected, perhaps, to Marty; less so to Nicole.) Back to our story:

"One day I'm emailing a client back-and-forth about his resume and he is just being IMPOSSIBLE. Rude, dismissive, ignoring my questions. I was getting sick of his [attitude] when I noticed something. Thanks to our shared inbox, I'd been signing all communications as 'Nicole.'"

I've never had a shared inbox. Maybe you have. Regardless, Marty played along. He pretended that it had in fact been Nicole who had been emailing with the client, but that now he, real-life Marty, would be stepping in to take over. Result?

"'IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENT. Positive reception, thanking me for suggestions, respon…