Washington, Z. & Roberts, L.M. (2019). Women of color get less support at work. Here’s how managers can change that. Harvard Business Review.
Earning an MBA from one of the top business schools in the world does not protect women of color from bias and discrimination. According to Washington & Roberts (2019),
Of the 532 African-American women who earned their MBAs at Harvard Business School between 1997 and 2015, only 67 (13%) have achieved the highest-ranking executive positions, compared to 161 (19%) of African-American men and 40% of a matched sample of 150 non-African-American HBS alumni, (Washington & Roberts, 2019, p. 3).
The reasons for the disparity include microaggressions, double standards, and unconscious bias. Black women are held to a higher standard and presumed less qualified despite their credentials.
The authors note that “…despite representing about 18% of the U.S. population, women of color represented only 4% of C-Level positions in 2018, falling far below white men (68%) and white women (19%), (Washington & Roberts, 2019, p. 3).
Women of color are less likely to have managers who:
1. Promote their work contributions
2. Help them navigate organizational politics
3. Will socialize with them outside of work.
As a result, Black women are left out of informal networks that encourage professional advancement. Without mentoring and sponsorship programs, Black women navigate corporate America without vital connections that would lead to new opportunities. Without structured programs available to all, executive leaders unknowingly employ homophily by seeking out mentoring candidates who are most like them.
Six actions managers can take to support women of color on their teams:
1. Take initiative – invite women of color out to gatherings despite hesitation. Being a Black woman is taxing and she will often vacillate between authenticity and assimilation. Make it clear that you want to get to know her.
2. Give credit where it is due – many women of color feel invisible at work. Call out instances of excellent work through informal and formal channels.
3. Provide honest feedback or critique that encourages growth and development.
4. Assess potential, not just competencies – Black women may not have had the same opportunities for development and experiences. During the hiring phase, assess a candidate’s curiosity, insight, engagement, and determination to determine leadership potential.
5. Check for bias – tracking the intersectionality of women of color in terms of their advancement is the only way to measure progress in terms of diversity leadership.
6. Employ mandatory exit interviews to find out any issues the employees experienced during their tenure. This could help employers solve problems that impact attrition.
Improving advancement potential for women of color could produce more innovative products and services for an organization. Implementing these changes would yield positive benefits for the entire corporation.
L2: Demonstrate the ability to assess complex organizational environments and achieve communicative goals.
L4: Apply communication-centered scholarship to strengthen communication effectiveness.
D1: Iteratively develop inter-professional leadership competencies.
D4: Be equipped to influence change.
Keywords: Black women, Black leadership, career development, pipelines, bias, mentorship, sponsorship
