Executive Sends a Message: There Is No ‘Mr. Johnson’ Here

A ski-trip anecdote turned into a revelation about gender expectations in the workplace.

While changing clothes in a parking lot after an afternoon run, the group heard a tale of mis-addressed letters and busted assumptions. Our protagonist on the story is a woman who led an engineering company where nearly everyone assumed the CEO must be a man.

She didn’t accept the assumption. She instructed her secretary to return unopened every letter addressed to “Mr. Johnson.”

Now, read the full story:

I love how a casual ski-trip anecdote morphed into a potent moment of quiet revolution. The way she handled the mis-addressed letters says volumes about confidence, clarity, and flipping expectations.

It wasn’t confrontational, it was firm, sly, graceful. It signals to everyone that leadership isn’t about the default image, it’s about the person doing the job. This feeling of rewriting narrative in action is textbook leadership in plain clothes.

Why this story matters?

The core issue here is bias and assumption. In an industry where men dominate the technical ranks, many still default to a male image of leadership. When the CEO receives letters addressed to “Mr. Johnson,” the message is subtly loud: “We didn’t expect you.”

By returning those letters unopened, she created a visible counter-mark, saying, “Yes, I’m here. Reassess your assumptions.”

What the research reveals?

Representation in engineering remains low for women. For instance, women made up roughly 16 percent of engineers and architects in 2023 in the U.S.

Another analysis found that only about 23 percent of C-suite executives in engineering and industrial manufacturing are women, while entry-level women counted for around 33 percent. These numbers point to the “leaky pipeline”: women enter engineering but often fail to reach the top.

Moreover, bias plays a role. A 2023 study found that stereotypically, women in leadership are judged less competent when they show traits that mirror traditional male leaders. In engineering leadership specifically, one study found 80 percent of women in leadership had experienced gender bias.

An expert in engineering leadership put it this way: “Women in leadership positions in the field of engineering remain a minority… making female engineers highly vulnerable.” The story you shared aligns with this dynamic: the default assumption was male, and the CEO flipped it.

What we can learn?

1. Visibility matters: When leadership disrupts stereotypes, it creates role-models. Her act of returning letters did more than correct a name, it signalled recognition and capability.

2. Language shapes culture: Names and forms of address seem trivial but they reflect deeper norms. When someone treats a female CEO as “Mr.,” the message sends bias, even unintentionally.

3. Deliberate action stirs change: Bias won’t always correct itself. This leader didn’t wait for letters to stop—she made a choice to respond. That action amplifies a culture of equality.

4. Inclusivity drives business: Studies suggest that companies with gender-diverse leadership tend to perform better. When you create an environment where leadership expectation expands beyond stereotype, you leverage wider talent.

5. Culture trips happen in everyday moments: A ski trip, a car-park chat, letters addressed wrong, they become meaningful. Leaders who acknowledge them and turn them into teaching moments build stronger cultures.

This story isn’t just a funny anecdote. It’s a vivid example of how bias hides in everyday gestures and how leadership can counter it in simple, firm ways. It tells us that change doesn’t always require grand strategy, it can start with returning mis-addressed mail. The message is clear: you don’t have to fit the old image to lead. You just need the mandate, the vision, and the clarity to act.

Check out how the community responded:

Calling out inattentive formality

Hats off to the CEO’s quiet stand

This story reminds us that leaders show up in details. A form of address, a returned envelope, a laugh in a parking lot, these moments build culture and change norms. The result? A more inclusive workplace where leadership isn’t defined by gender but by capability.

What do you think? Have you ever seen someone challenge a stereotype through a small gesture like this? Could you imagine doing the same in your organization or team?