Vivek Wadhwa, Voice for Women in Silicon Valley, Is Foiled by His Tone

Vivek Wadhwa is an entrepreneur-turned-academic who is a co-author, with Farai Chideya, of the book “Innovating Women.” He is also a fixture on the lecture circuit and in the media, where he has frequently called on technology companies to address gender diversity. At least he did, until he swore off speaking out for gender diversity after intense criticism from women in tech who saw him as neither their ally nor their spokesman.

Men who would like to become allies in the fight for women’s equality in tech will find in this story a lesson on how to conduct themselves: Look at the way Wadhwa behaved when faced with criticism from female technologists. Then do the opposite. Women in tech criticized Wadhwa for clumsily articulating their cause. They said he was prone to outrageous gaffes. Critics also argued that Wadhwa’s message to women -- that they should become more confident to survive in the tough world of tech -- was outdated and could backfire on the women who followed it. And when he was called out on those points, Wadhwa, who conceded that he can be “a hothead,” adopted a defensive -- even wounded -- tone