He Said, She Said: 6 Reactions To Satya Nadella's Controversial Comments

Speaking Out

CRN reached out to several female IT leaders across the channel hours after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella retracted his statement at a women in computing conference last week that women should not ask for raises, advising them instead to think about "good karma" and wait for deserved wage bumps to come their way.

With women still making a reported 77 cents to every $1 men earn, many women found the comments demeaning and "out of touch." They offered their own views on Nadella's remarks and their perspective on the state of gender issues in the world of IT. Here's what they had to say.

Reena Gupta, CEO Avankia, TargetRecruit

"I'm a bit surprised to hear that. This literally caught me off-guard. My firm belief is it doesn't matter who the person is. Whether it's a man or a woman, if they're performing well and they deserve it, they should get a raise. Women themselves have to step up and say, 'I think I deserve that. I think [my supervisors] need to be understanding what I'm really capable of.' [Women] should not accept any kind of bias. If one women accepts it, it's a trend. That should not be happening."

Debbie Fitzerman, CEO, DFC International Computing

"To tell you the honest truth, if [Nadella] were to be asked up front, 'Should women be paid the same as men? Should women ask?,' he'd say, 'Of course they should be the same.' But in those feelings or attitudes from just being around [a while], I think those [thoughts] are just a part of you. It probably came out wrong, but a lot of it is saying, 'You should be able to prove what you're worth. You're in business.' But still, a man is considered to be aggressive and go-getting while a women is pushy. That [mind-set] is still the case."

Michell Stockmann, President, CEO, TechKnow Solutions

"I think women have come a long way, 'baby,' in a few years. There's a huge growth of women in business and women entrepreneurs and there are more dads staying at home because women are the breadwinners. I would say, 'Ask for a pay raise,' especially if you know your co-worker is getting [a higher amount] for the same work."

Sonia St. Charles, CEO, Davenport Group

"I believe that there is a gender pay gap in general, across all industries. While there has been steady progress in closing this gap, it continues to be too slow. I encourage women to take control of their careers and look out for themselves, rather than hoping that someone will notice them and reward them accordingly. Taking control of your career means being the best performer that you can be and recording your accomplishments to track quantifiable results of your impact. Ask what you are going to be measured on ahead of time and then track to those metrics."

Joy Belinda Beland, Managing Partner, LA IT Girl

"While Satya's comments yesterday were unfortunate, it brings to the forefront a question we can ask ourselves as women in technology: 'Are we doing enough to support our own goals?' Consistently, the most successful women in technology say that reaching out for guidance and mentorship from others has been the No. 1 thing in helping them achieve their goals. In my case, I have been mentored by a mixture of both men and women, and over the years, their perspective has guided my ambition and shaped my confidence."

Samantha Walters, Vice President, Online Strategies, Colocation America

"I understand [Nadella's] view of 'good karma.' You're trying to work more based upon what you're giving to the company. But at the end of the day, if you're worth it, ask for the raise. See what the play is. Your opinion is valued just as much as anyone else's, especially in the IT industry where your opinion is not represented as often."