Advice for professionals: Build relationships to help career
By Andrea Kay, Gannett 对于一些在美国工作的黑人女性来说，融入工作中的白人群体，是一件困难的事情，但是又是一件必须要做的事情，因为只有建立了友好的工作关系，才能更好地推进自己的职业生涯的发展，推而广之，每位职场的人都应该与他人建立好关系，这样才能更有利于自身职场的发展。
It is hard to imagine that my client the confident, competent, smart, strong and impeccably dressed Debbie that I have known
15 years felt invisible early on in her career. But that's just how she and other black women in corporate America have felt and still do at times. It goes back to unflattering stereotypes and general perceptions that make it easy to dismiss black women as unable to be power players, says Sophia A. Nelson in her book, Black Woman Redefined. COLUMN: Shed image of angry, brash black woman MORE: Andrea Kay's column index Add that less than 1.2 percent of black females are executives in corporate America, and such women not only feel invisible, but to a third of the American workforce they truly are invisible, Nelson says. For those who are present, it can be hard to be heard. I'd be in a meeting and give my opinion, Debbie says. And it was totally discounted. My points weren't even acknowledged. One of my white counterparts could sayverbatim what I said and the response was, 'Let's discuss that.' That's when she began to question herself: Was it my tone? Did I present it in a manner that couldn't be heard? I was second guessing everything. It made me bitter. It's understandable to point fingers and get swallowed up in the long-standing workplace inequities argument, says Nelson, who doesn't blame anyone for responding with anger or outrage. But, she writes, We must take stock of our professional battle scars and transform them into a powerful force for change, developing built-to-last and nimble game plans focused on establishing meaningful relationships, strategic alliances and rock-solid career platforms. One of the most important keys and most lacking for black women executives and professionals, according to findings of a 2009 Executive Leadership Council study is having comfortable, trusted, and strategic relationships at the senior level with those who are most different from themselves, most notably white males. Nelson quotes the study that says black women collaborate well among themselves but have some difficulty feeling comfortable in an environment with white men and that white men and black women have not formed close enough working relationships to understand each other. Before, Debbie says, I wouldn't reach out to someone who wasn't like me or didn't have my same values. I just wrote them off. One of my managers forced me to reach out. It was a requirement. He made a list of people, peers, some upper levels. I needed to understand how to operate because they were making decisions around opportunities for me. I had lunch with them. It was awkward. But I developed relationships with white men who advocated for me. Others didn't get in the way anymore. I showed them I belong, can hold my own and that it has nothing to do with diversity or affirmative action but that I came in the same door they did. You have to get past the 'you've done me so wrong' feeling. Her advice? Identify the people who are with you and those who are not and build relationships with those who have a say in your career. Even today, you have to over-deliver, she points out. So don't get comfortable. I have seen many young, sheltered African Americans who went to the best schools and believe that people will think you're special because you went to those schools and that they don't consider color. These young people are devastated and paralyzed when they realize that you have to prove yourself and beyond. You're scrutinized more, Debbie says. The truth is they see you first as an African American woman. Period, over and out. So it's on you to help broaden their vision. 管理新知 您可能感兴趣的文章 “Put Me In Coach”: 5 Ways To Effectively Get Your Gen Y Employees to Perform 2012-06-06 管理学：最好的管理就是管好自己 2015-01-28 Nominations Sought for Knutson Award, Recruiting’s “Heisman” 2013-04-17 最近文章 TEST 2018年01月15日 嫖娼被抓不属无故旷工，公司解雇赔4万！（法院判决） 2018年01月15日 如何判断你是否具有HRBP胜任力？
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