Know Your Worth.
o Early in my years in corporate, it was obvious to others that I did not know my worth. Even worse, management knew my worth but realized I did not. So, they took advantage of that. I was given projects with the explanation that completing these tasks will give me exposure to the right people. So, I would meet the deadline, and surpass the goal. Only for my manager to get the credit (and the bonus) for knowing whom to give the task to – not any credit to me for completing the task. So how do you know your worth: 1) speak positively about yourself and what you bring to the table. Do not dim your light to make someone else feel comfortable with who you are and what you have to offer. 2) Acknowledge your wins. You are not arrogant, but confident. 3) Be clear on what you are willing to accept (or not) from your peers, your team, and your management. Then, stick to that.
Use Your Voice.
o Whenever I interviewed or spoke to a recruiter about a job opportunity, they would always tell me how they enjoyed speaking to me because I was so “well-spoken.” While I know that was a compliment in their minds, it insulted me. Why would I not be able to clearly articulate who I am and what I do? At one point, a white male coworker asked me: “Why do you speak the way you do, but she speaks like this (while rolling his neck)?” I had no words. Now, I think I would have many words 😊 Why did there have to be an explanation for why I speak correct English? Why did there have to be an explanation because my voice was not what you expected it to be? No one asked Karen why she uses “like” in every other sentence. All this to say: be who YOU are, not who you think others want you to be. Own your voice and whatever comes with it. While there may be a different vernacular that we use when speaking with our girlfriends versus our coworkers, that does not mean that you should not be authentically you when speaking to anyone.
Learn! Continue to Grow.
o Learning does not mean sitting in a classroom. Learning can be shadowing another team member from your company, asking questions in meetings, attending a Masterclass, or earning additional certifications. Do not give anyone a reason to count you out. Like Sonja Stribling, Ph.D. always says: Be so good they can't ignore you.
What are some ways you may have struggled as a Black woman in corporate America, and how did you overcome them?
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