The Black Ceiling: It’s Not A Minor(ity) Problem

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broken-glass ceiling

By Aimee Hansen

Even though 2017 was a record year for women in the C-Suite amidst Fortune 500 companies  (32 women in CEO jobs, vs. 21 in 2016) , no African American women have sat at the helm since Ursula Burns stepping down at Xerox in late 2016.

Soon there will be only three black CEOs at all in the Fortune 500, against a peak of seven in 2007, and overall upward trending back in the 2000s.

Further, Anne-Marie Campbell, EVP of U.S. Stores for Home Depot, was the only African American to rank in “Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business.” Though Rosalind Brewer did reappear in the C-Suite as the first women and African American to be appointed COO of Starbucks.

The Black Ceiling

In a Fortune article calling out the “black ceiling,” Ellen McGirt writes about the absence of African American women: “Burns’ appointment to the top job in 2009 had been hailed as a milestone. Suddenly it looked more like an anomaly.”

Black women in business continue to feel both excluded from male dominated and white dominated informal networks as well as demoralized by being unrecognized and underestimated.

McGirt writes, “They report environments that they feel continually overlook their credentials, diminish their accomplishments, and pile on cultural slights—about their hair, appearance, even their parenting skills. And they often have fraught relationships with white women, who tend to take the lead on issues of women and diversity.”

Greatest Obstacles, Least Support

According to a Women In the Workplace 2017 study by McKinsey & Company, drawing on data from 222 companies employing more than 12 million people and a survey of over 70,000 employees, women of color “face the greatest obstacles and receive the least support.”

Black women consistently perceived less managerial support, less opportunities and less objectivity.

Only 31% of African American women felt managers advocate for their opportunity (vs 41% of white women), only 23% felt managers helped them to navigate organizational politics (vs 36%) and only 28% felt managers defend them or their work (vs 40%).

Only 48% of African American woman felt they had equal opportunity for growth (vs 59% of white women), only 29% felt the best opportunities go to the most deserving (vs 40%) and only 34% felt promotions were based on fair and objective criteria (vs 41%).

The report also found that “inequality starts at the very first promotion” in general for women but is more dramatic for women of color. Among women, African Americans had the lowest promotion rate (4.9% vs. 7.4% for white women) and the highest attrition rate (18.2% vs. 15.4%).

With slower advancement, African American women are more likely to move on in the corporate world or want to go on their own, since they hold higher ambitions to be a top level executive than white women but encounter more obstacles.

Professor Ella Bell Smith from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, notes, “To be able to advance, we know that there are several things — you have to have good mentorship and sponsorship, which means that you have to have some type of relationship, constructive, positive relationship with the managers and executives in your company. You have to perform three times as hard….The formula I like to use is performance plus relationship equal advancement.”

Lack of Inclusion

Without access to networks, African American women feel excluded from the relationships that create opportunities for recognition and advancement. African American women were also far more likely to report they never have senior contact.

Speaking at the Most Powerful Women summit, Anne-Marie Campbell pointed out, “Inclusion is not just a professional thing, it’s a me thing.” She argued it’s up to leaders to explore and broaden their social circles to befriend people of different races and backgrounds, and to open more diverse conversations in the workplace.

Thasunda Duckett, CEO of consumer banking at JP Morgan Chase, also said, “Without emphasizing the importance of an inclusive culture, you’re missing out on talented individuals who don’t feel that they can bring their entire selves to the table.”

Distorted Perception

Indeed, the Walden University report states, “In order to advance, African American women have tried to display work-appropriate behaviors so as to avoid stereotypical images that label them as angry, combative, and aggressive.”

Stating that African American women rarely receive truly constructive feedback or receive inappropriate feedback, Professor Smith observes, “Black women, if they come in too aggressive, assertive — I like the word assertive — they’re told that they’re angry. If they come in too tough, they’re told that they need to soften. So, there’s no right way that they can be. The flip side of that is if you come in trying to be more nurturing and more caring, then you hear, ‘Well, you’re not tough enough.’ So, it’s a very slippery slope…. because after a while, you start believing what you’re hearing, and then you don’t know how to behave. Then you wind up sabotaging yourself, because you really are not bringing your full voice to the table. You can’t lead, you can’t make a difference, you can’t contribute if you’re only bringing half of yourself to work.”

Peripheral Roles

According to the Fortune article, Ursula Burns isn’t surprised that she has no immediate followers in her footsteps, one factor being that black women who do make senior positions are too often concentrated in support positions, removed from product and money, rather than operational roles.

“HR isn’t going to get you there,” Burns told Fortune. “Communications and the arts aren’t going to get you there.”

“You have to really contribute to the bottom line of the business, which does not include HR, which does not include social responsibility. You have to really show that you can run a business. It’s very hard to do to get those positions, particularly if you’re an African-American woman,” echoes Professor Smith, “It’s hard if you’re a white woman. It is triple-time harder for African-American women and other women of color, too. This is not just a phenomena that hits African-American women. It hits us the hardest, though.”

Not a “Priority”

It’s not only that black women are excluded from networks but making sure the talents and performance of black women is cultivated, recognized and rewarded is often not a corporate priority, even amidst the diversity agenda.

At the MPW summit, Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments, said: “Another thing that bothers me is that we’re ‘working on’ this, but we aren’t ‘working on’ anything else that matters in our companies. You either do or you do not. You do not ‘work on’ better earnings.”

In Fortune, Burns attributes much of her career success to the support that she received from Xerox, but most companies don’t want to invest and focus for a group that comprises less than 7% of the U.S. population. “For one,” said Burns, “they don’t like to leave the other women out.”

Not a Minor(ity) Issue

The McKinsey reports notes, “When companies take a one-size-fits-all approach to advancing women, women of color end up underserved and left behind.”

This recently appeared in my Facebook feed from a women named Stacy Jordan Shelton: “I loathe the word ‘minority’. Ain’t nothing ‘minor’ about any of us.”

Diversity efforts that are monolithic and treat women of color as a side issue simply fail from the outset. To recast the problem, resulting in benefiting some women while overlooking others, is to proliferate inequality with different players. If diversity isn’t intersectional, it’s far worse than ineffectual. It’s ironic.

That’s only one reason why the black ceiling is neither a “minority” or a “minor” problem. But it’s a real one.

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How to Stay & Rise, Rather Than Leave

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Guest contributed by Avery-Taylor PhilipsFemale Boss

More and more often we hear stories of women in executive positions leaving the corporate world and setting up their own businesses. Female entrepreneurship has been on the rise in recent years. Why is this and what causes women to leave their executive positions rather than continuing to progress within their organizations?

Women face many challenges, barriers and obstacles in the corporate world and evidence suggests that gender equality within the workplace is stalling. It appears that one barrier to women rising in the corporate world could be the lack of flexibility in allowing women time off to raise their children. A recent study from Visier, a workforce analytics firm, showed that gender wage gap at large United States employers widens at age 32 when women earn 90% of their male counterpart’s income. There is no data in this study to suggest that this is because 32 is the age that many women leave work to have and care for children, as many women do not have children at 32, so although it could be correlatory it is not 100% causal. What does happen is that it is the time when workers start to advance up the corporate ladder. The study noted that men and women seem to hold the same number of management positions through their 20s, but on hitting 32, men hold a significantly higher number of these positions.

This cycle leads to less and less women in executive positions, never really turning the tables on the issue of women in executive committee positions. In fact, today women run 30% of the the world’s businesses, but only 5% of the largest ones have women in the top echelons.

Is there a way to get around this? What can we as women do about it? An alternate way we can respond is by refusing to leave. Despite inevitable frustrations, is it worth sticking around, perhaps staying to rise, especially if the company is one you believe in? While there may not be one right answer to this complex question, there are women who have chosen to stick around, rising and reinventing their careers within their fields of expertise.

One such woman is Holly Peterson. After graduating from Brown University, Peterson spent some years traveling all over the world as a network television producer for ABC News. “I completely understand why Harvard-educated women say, ‘I’m not going to work sixteen hours a day and do a ton of travel when I have three kids,’” Peterson says. “But what they don’t understand is that there’s a deep melancholy that sets in, and they wake up at 47 and literally don’t know what to do. No one’s going to hire you.”

Unlike many women in the same position, Ms. Peterson chose to stick with her career. Apart from being a novelist, she juggles two other jobs including writing a regular column for Town and Country as well as serving as president of the Joan Ganz Cooney Foundation, to promote early childhood education and criminal justice reform. While her choices may not suit all women, they do serve as a reminder on how women can make it to the top while defining their own success.

Ms. Peterson isn’t alone. A previous article on theglasshammer discusses the complexities of the opt-out conversation and show that in a study authored by Joni Hersch, Professor of Law and Economics at Vanderbilt Law School, it was found that a vast majority of women were staying in their careers. Opting out was only observable in a tiny segment of the population Hersch studied. “They like working, and would prefer that to not working. It’s not just about being able to afford not to work. It takes a lot of money to stay entertained if you don’t have a job,” she said with a laugh.

Maybe you share the same sentiments as the subjects of Hersch’s study, or are quite taken by Ms. Peterson’s path — either way, it begs the question: how else can we, as women, stay and rise? The Glass Hammer has previously written about the strategies for surmounting career obstacles, and following these tips can help you get to the top, in turn opening the doors for women in management.

As a woman, it’s important to be confident in your abilities. As stated by the Collat School of Business, “One big advantage women offer the business world and management in particular is that they have different sets of life and work experiences than men do and thus different perspectives. This leads to different opinions, different preferences, and different strategies.” In reality, women make exceptional leaders. Acknowledging adversity is key to gaining confidence. “Adversity really does make you stronger,” says Frances Albán, CEO of Albán Communications. “It builds character and resilience. The key is to not let your ego interfere with your ability to stay afloat during hard times.”

Secondly, as mentioned previously on theglasshammer, it is vital to network authentically. In any career, networking plays a huge role is rising up the career ladder. Studies show that women value authenticity but see networking as fake and disruptive. Reconciling this is possible, especially with the prospect of networking in a genuine manner. While men still flourish in the old boy’s network, women need to become authentic networkers, and build advantageous professional relationships.

To stay and rise means putting up with the frustrations that come alongside inequalities, gender biases and more within a traditional workplace. It means having to face your own insecurities, step out of your comfort zone, and still remain true to yourself. But, it also means the tapping into the already existing potential and ability you have to make it to the top and be a driving factor in changing workplace norms.

Disclaimer:  Views and opinions of Guest contributors are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com

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Black History Month and Your Role in Helping Others

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By Nicki Gilmour, Executive Coach and Organizational Psychologist

Black History Month is about celebrating amazing people of color.

For us on theglasshammer.com we celebrate women of color and all types of women all year long but we do recognize that intersectionality is real (simply put, being a woman with another social identity that is “other”, or from the historically non majority group.)

Do a network audit- is there only one type of person in your network? If this cuts along the lines of social identity (gender, ethnicity, LGBT status, class, nationality etc) then make a conscious effort to go to lunch with someone different to you. If you only eat lunch with white women and white men (and you are a white women) then what are you missing? How can you sponsor and advocate women of color on your team? How can you mentor and be mentored by a person of color?

If you are a woman of color reading this column, how can you stay authentic and not assimilate ?

All of these discussions are of course theory and make assumptions that all white women are one way and all women of color are another, which we work very hard on theglasshammer to dispel such stereotypes.

So, go have multiple conversations with people who have had a different journey to you and just listen with an open mind and open heart, because this is how we learn.

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Voice of Experience: Noel Abdur-Rahim, Assurance Senior Manager, PwC US

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Noel Abdur-RahimBy Cathie Ericson

PwC’s Noel Abdur-Rahim knows it’s vital to bring up other professionals alongside you.

“You can’t look around at the other professionals at your level and then above you and say ‘Only one or a few of us can make it,’ thereby setting up a spirit of competition. We are stronger when we leverage all our best qualities and work together, realizing that we can all walk through the door rather than competing with our colleagues.”

That attitude has helped Rahim form important relationships that has led to her ongoing success at PwC.

Rahim began her career in the Assurance practice in PwC’s Detroit office in 2005, after interning there the year before. In 2012, as a manager, she made the personal decision to move to Atlanta, a transfer based on her impressive track record and the strong relationships she had built over the years.

Today, with the many changes being introduced regarding regulations in tax reform, she sees a lot of opportunity for the profession, particularly for those who are strong performers and leaders, who thrive during times of disruptive change.

While Rahim has achieved a high level of success throughout her tenure with PwC, she counts the fact that she was able to graduate college as well as obtain a master’s degree as a first-generation college student as her greatest achievement to date. “These accomplishments made me very proud on behalf of my family and those coming behind me,” she says.

Take Chances and Don’t Count Yourself Out

Along the way Rahim has realized that no one ever expressly tells you that a successful career requires strategy and being thoughtful about where you want to go, while remaining agile.

She wishes she had known earlier that you don’t have to be 100% qualified for the next role in order to raise your hand and express your interest. She notes that women have a tendency to worry they can’t do something because they are missing one of 20 qualities, but that small deficit can often easily be overcome.

“You shouldn’t count yourself out because you are afraid you won’t make it,” she says. “Believe in yourself and ask for those opportunities when you’re 90% of the way because you will learn the remaining 10% when you’re there.”

As a senior associate, she joined PwC’s Senior Select program designed for diverse professionals, where she says the sessions gave her insight into strategies for success. One session that particularly resonated explored how work is a game – not in a negative way, she points out, but if you’re not participating and strategizing about where you want to be, how to get there and talking to others about the right path, you may already have lost.

“We tend to think that if we put our head down and do our job, we’ll be rewarded, but sometimes you will and sometimes you won’t,” she says. “You have to play a part in owning your career and where you will go.” Once she started incorporating that philosophy into her work life, she began noticing subtle positive changes in her opportunities.

Channeling Her Passion Into Leading Diversity Efforts

Rahim currently leads the Assurance diversity efforts in PwC’s Atlanta office – although it’s not a formal role, she was instrumental in spearheading several initiatives that have proven to be successful. First, she went to the leaders in the market to explain her passion for diversity and explained her ideas and suggestions to drive change in the market. Her efforts were welcomed by the partners, and they granted her the ability to lead and drive her ideas forward.

“They have been very flexible with this, which has created a unique culture here in Atlanta that has made an impact on retention and recruitment,” she says.

One particularly successful program piloted out of Atlanta was an initiative to expand diversity efforts in the Birmingham, Ala., office, which is part of the greater Atlanta region. As part of this diversity effort, Rahim proposed developing a mentoring program where diverse managers in Atlanta are paired with counterparts in Birmingham.

She felt it would be more successful if the initial meetings were in person, so the mentors and mentees could meet for a day to build their relationships. “Firm leaders were very supportive and on board, and I think this first in-person interaction made the difference in allowing the program to flourish,” she notes.

Rahim believes that it can be easy to have a misguided perception of what success looks like, especially as a woman or as a black professional, because the public accounting industry has a history of being white male-dominated. It’s important to add role models so that others can see themselves succeeding, even if they don’t look like the vast majority of the leaders.

On that note, she sees how crucial it is to have proactive support from leaders, mentors and sponsors who pull you up and offer encouragement, even if you don’t automatically see yourself in an expanded role.

Embracing Life/Work Balance

With two children, ages 4 and 5, Rahim prioritizes spending as much time with them as she can, while still being able to provide for them. For that reason, she knows it’s important to leave every day between 4:30 and 5, even if many would see that as an impossibility. “I make it work so I can be home with them daily when they get home from school.”

Rahim recently returned from a four-week sabbatical that included a trip to Europe, her first visit overseas alone. “It was the chance to conquer a big fear of mine, as I traveled from Paris to Brussels to Amsterdam, sightseeing and enjoying the cuisine. Most importantly, I came back proud of myself for doing something that previously would have been out of my comfort zone.”

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Mover & Shaker: Lisa Goldkamp, Vice President of Partner Development & Sales Solutions at WEX Health

Lisa Goldkamp

By Cathie Ericson

Hard work indeed pays off – and you can’t shirk that part – but hard work alone doesn’t mean doors will automatically open for you, says Lisa Goldkamp.

The key, she says, is to work smarter and draw on your own emotional intelligence.

“You can’t quietly sit there and expect everyone to recognize your role,” says Goldkamp. “You have to build relationships and be aware of your own personal brand, making sure that people know who you are, and that others are not getting credit for your hard work.”

Advancing Her Career Through Seizing Opportunities and Embracing Change

Goldkamp’s career path has been built on a successful tenure at two organizations. She began as an intern at a company that provided IT training to corporate employees, where she says she quickly learned that effective use of technology can impact your productivity and success.

It wasn’t long until the owner of the franchise saw her potential, and she advanced to managing a team of 15 in operations.

After honing her management skills, he subsequently asked her to step into an account executive role — although she had never considered sales, she took the chance and soon realized how much she loved consulting with clients.

Soon she decided she wanted to relocate to her hometown of St. Louis and leveraged relationships she had built to attain a job with a predecessor of her current company, WEX, which she ultimately joined through a series of mergers and acquisitions.

In fact, she credits her ability to thrive in the face of constant change as a key to her success. “I find that lots of people choose the path of fear during change, but I consider it an opportunity to grow my impact,” Goldkamp notes. “ I look at every change as a challenge to figure out what I can do to embrace new people and situations instead of being paralyzed. Disruption has brought my best breaks.”

Her first role at WEX was in consultative sales using technology to help prospective clients find solutions to complex problems, and over time she grew into a pre-Sales leadership role.

A recent promotion has opened the door to new opportunities, including extending her consultative sales leadership to an expanded team that is focused on bringing sales excellence to prospective and current partners. As a result, she has welcomed new talent to her team whom she can help develop and mentor. “I’m excited to have the chance to build an expanded managerial infrastructure and promote additional leaders.”

Goldkamp knows that she has been fortunate to have people who believed in her, who were willing to go to bat and champion her, and she looks forward to doing the same.

Emulating the Best Qualities Around Her

While she has worked with many individuals she considers to be role models, Goldkamp says she can’t help but look up to WEX CEO Melissa Smith for being both successful and down to earth. The first time they met, when WEX was acquiring her former company, Smith was pregnant with her first child and Goldkamp was pregnant with her second.

Over the years, Goldkamp has had more opportunities to interact with her at company events, and is always struck by how accessible she is. “As we all know, tech firms tend to be male dominated, and I really respect both her career path and who she is as a person.”

Among the qualities that Goldkamp herself aims to portray to others are a positive attitude, a strong work ethic and strong professional and personal relationships, all of which she believes have been crucial to her success. And she notes that you have to trust your coworkers and leaders in order to achieve a strong work/life balance.

Having had three kids in less than four years, that balance currently entails spending time with them whenever she can. She credits her husband, who has been home with the kids for the past five years, as greatly simplifying their life, given their busy schedule and her own travel needs.

Having a support system at work and at home is the key to achieving balance, she finds. “Over the years I have recognized that you can’t control everything or do it all yourself. Becoming a mother highlighted the need to prioritize and empower others since you can’t do it all alone.”

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