Got Swag? Why Career Success is Cool

by Solange Lopes | Jan 27, 2014 | Career | 2 comments

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So yesterday I was watching the Grammy’s, along with the millions of people who tuned in to watch all these cool artists strut down the red carpet in all their cool swagger. As I was reveling in all the great fashion and awesome talent, it also occurred to me that while the success of entertainment professionals, especially in the Black and minority community, is much celebrated, we cannot quite say the same thing about corporate professional success. Yes, while Beyonce is heralded as the Queen Bey (did you see that steamy performance with hubby Jay Z…but I digress), how much do we really hear about the likes of Xerox CEO Ursula Burns, or Goldman Sachs security division’s COO Lisa Opoku, or Sam’s Club President Rosalind Brewer? Yes we may know media mogul Oprah, but which other Black or minority female success figure in the corporate world do we really hear or know about…Not many, and that my be just why corporate success is not as cool as entertainment success, and maybe why our girls and boys would rather star in a reality show than go to college…Just sayin’…

Yes, being a corporate sister or brother would not exactly be associated with terms lie swag or cool in the urban lexicon. Despite the success of network shows like “Scandal” or “Being Mary Jane”, being a corporate sister is still perceived as “acting white”. Wearing a suit to work or dressing in a conservative manner is still perceived as being more “white” than “black”, or like any other minority for that matter. Yes it is a matter of perception, but like everywhere, perception matters!

Ultimately, it is up to us to change these perceptions. The more minorities enter the corporate world, the more accustomed to this image we will all be (without having to resort to elusive TV shows or glamorous, rose-colored glasses). And the more accustomed we get to a certain type of image, the cooler it gets! Just look at the emergence of the nerd culture, and how Black women are starting to identify with it and give ourselves a voice in this realm (thank you Black Girl Nerds)! So it may also be high time to give ourselves a voice in the corporate realm, a cool, influential voice that will not only make us heard, but make us more of a visible presence in the corporate sphere:

• Get Your Education On! Education is cool, it will take you places, and is the one thing no one can ever take away from you. Whether you aspire to making it in the entrepreneurial realm or dream about being an entertainer, education is key both to reaching your goals and have a solid backup plan!
• You’re a hard-working professional: look and act the part! The value of hard work can never be emphasized too much. As cool as all these entertainers may be, they also work hard. In flashier fields such as sports or entertainment, as in the corporate world, hard work does pay off! And even if unfair stereotypes and perceptions still stand in the way, effective results cannot be denied to anyone!
• Be the change you want to see! We often complain about the lack of opportunities for Black and minority professionals in the corporate world. Yet, we often also fall short of offering solutions and bringing consensus to the table. Yes it is hard, and very discouraging at times! However, as Gandhi said it so well, we have to be the change we want to see! My version of Ghandi’s famous saying: If you don’t like the situation you’re in, change it! How? Offer solutions, speak up, show up, persevere, knock on the door…and someone will eventually open up and listen…

Do you think professional/career success is cool?

The Corporate Sister.