In March 2018 which may seem like eons ago, L. Michelle Smith wrote about women of color — especially black women — leaving the corporate world, simply opting out to start their own companies.
Last year in McKinsey & Co.’s annual report Women in the Workplace shared that ‘the complexity of gender and color actually do matter when it comes to filling the pipeline to leadership, and in many cases, women and women of color—again, especially black women—are left behind due to lack of access to senior leadership and other factors.’
While we think the article illuminates the difficulty of bringing your authentic self through the door each morning, we wish to explore a term not often explained ‘in the news’: stereotype threat. More than likely undetected except for a feeling of unease, marginalized groups worry that they are at risk of fulfilling the racial stereotype. The stereotype is culturally held and those in the marginalized group can do little to change a culture.
“Cynthia Marshal (CEO of Dallas Mavericks) says what she wishe culturally s she knew on her first day what she knows now: that it is important to do your homework on the company culture before you enter it. She also pointed to performance as a factor. Over a period of time, she said, the company will get to know your stellar performance, and your personal nuances will matter less and less.”
roanokeresearch.com 