by Solange Lopes | May 21, 2014 | Career
Black-woman-at-work- madamenoire.com
Happy Wednesday!
We’ve heard a ton about corporate feminism lately. In between piercing the glass ceiling, empowering women, reducing the gender pay gap, not to mention coming to terms with Jill Abramson’s alleged New York Times ousting and the end of the Barbara Walters’ era, we’ve had much to chew on…And we’re still chewing…
Yet when it comes to corporate feminism/activism/however you may want to call it, what we have seen most of lately, is what I would call a big “look up”movement. As protagonists (or mere spectators) of the “Corporate Gender Evolutionism” theory (please excuse the growing sarcasm, it’s still early here), we’ve all had the pleasure to look up to great symbols of feminine corporate success. Like the Arianna Huffington’s, Lean In’s Sheryl Sanders, not to mention the hugely influential Oprahs of this world…
Yet, as the rest of the corporate sisters like myself and so many others are straining our underpaid necks in sheer admiration, looking up at these great yet oh so scarce symbols of corporate success, many (if not most) of us are still left wondering about our own corporate fates. After the fanfare of all the inspiring women’s conferences, after all the alleged goodwill of all the corporate sponsors in attendance, what’s the follow-up on all the good initiatives, words of advice and inspirational speeches? And please, please, how about making the membership to women’s leadership association (some of us may not be able to sacrifice our daycare budget just yet)?
How about proactively working to change the tone at the top, not just in terms of corporate sponsorships and endorsements, but of formal commitment of corporate leaders to look into and resolve the issues affecting women at work? How about creating steering committees not just composed of the leadership and successful women, but also of everyday, ordinary women facing everyday, seemingly ordinary challenges that are preventing them from rising to their potential? How about concretely discussing child care opportunities (or the lack thereof), birth control options? While these are certainly not novelty ideas or concepts, they are still sorely lacking from the corporate landscape, and sorely lacking from the corporate experience of the main actors of this game, us!
How about reaching down to the nitty-gritty, the unglamorous, the ordinary reality of women at work? Maybe, only maybe, it’s time to turn the projectors down towards the reality of the corporate trenches for many women, including and especially minority women, to address the real issues that are plaguing us and keeping us from success…
Maybe?
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | May 20, 2014 | Career
Kate Spade NY Tote- $348 – bloomingdales.com
Happy Tuesday!
For our lunch break today, we are subscribing to this Spring’s orange trend with this elegant, yet definitely statement Kate Spade New York tote. Loving the seamless transition of the nude to the brighter orange, as well as the unusual combination of leather and linen.
As a self-proclaimed corporate “bag lady”, I love (and need) my roomy bags, and this tote is very practical in this regard.
It’s $348 at Bollomingdales, and is our “splurge” treat of the week (or the day, who knows…)
Seen a great, office-appropriate fashion piece you’d like to recommend or share? Please post below in our comments section or email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | May 19, 2014 | Career
Ponte elbow-sleeved dress – $83.30 – talbots.com
Happy Monday!
It’s lunch time already, and for our first lunch break fashion selection of this week, we picked this classic ponte elbow-sleeved dress from Talbots in a ravishing aquamarine hue. Love, love the classic shape of this shift, complimented with an elegant boat neckline and conservative elbow-length sleeves. For those of us who are rather excited to be back at work this morning (I know, I know, it happens), it’s a perfect Monday morning dress to sport from the Boardroom to the office.
And since it’s on sale at Talbots for $83.30, you have no excuses…
Seen a great, office-appropriate fashion sample you’d like to share? Please email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | May 18, 2014 | Career
black+woman+reading
Happy Sunday!
Hope everyone is having a great week-end (for whatever is left of it). And while some of you may still be sipping your hot cup of coffee, or struggling to drown out the noise of the kids running around, or locking yourself in the bathroom with your I-pad to read the news, here are the pieces of news we obsessed over this week, some of which we are still reeling over, and others we are glad we stumbled upon:
Happy Sunday!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | May 18, 2014 | Career |
Barbara Walters – abcnews.com
Happy Sunday!
For anyone who cares about women at work (and for anyone who doesn’t, please graduate to the 21st century), this past week definitely showed us more about women at work than is usually directly told. After a 50-something career in television, during which she opened the doors of television broadcasting to countless women, television legend Barbara Walters stepped down. Meanwhile, another legendary news woman, Jill Abramson, the first woman to ever serve as editor of the New York Times, left the paper as top editor amidst insisting allegations that she was let go after discovering that her predecessor was paid more and asking herself for equal compensation.
1 week, 2 pioneers in the history of women at work exited their respective professional
Jill Abramson – theguardian.com
scenes in very different, yet relatable, circumstances. Will women at work ever be the same after this? In the midst of “equal pay for equal work” (failed) legislation attempts, entrepreneurship rise, and more and more women opting out of Big Corporate, losing two symbols of woman “pioneerism” is a lot to stomach at once.
When asked on the “Farewell” show on ABC this past Friday if the situation for women has changed since the days she first served as a newswoman, Barbara Walters calmly but convincingly responded: “No!” And as much as I did not want to, I believed her. Yes, we may have more opportunities nowadays. We may be able to at least pretend to climbing the ranks of professional success as men have always done.
Yet, as Abramson’s alleged ousting has shown us, we may still have to settle for a compensatory title devoid of the corresponding compensation. Yet, as we strive to “lean in” and sit at the negotiation table, we may still be judged on characteristics like being too “pushy”, or being overly assertive. Yet, as we sometimes sacrifice marriage and kids, as Barbara Walters implied in her farewell interview, to open doors for others coming after us, we may still face more closed doors than our fellow men, and still be left wondering at the end of the day, if it all were worth the trouble!
Yes, we are not men, we are women, and as far as I am concerned, I love it this way! And yes, we still have ways to go to figure out our own dreams, and allow ourselves (and society) to make enough progress to turn these into reality!
Yet in the midst of our struggle, and through our progress, this week was a good time to stop and reflect on where we go from here. Where we, as women of all races, backgrounds, circumstances and aspirations, pick up where two great women left off….
Happy Sunday!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | May 15, 2014 | Career
Crepe seam fron tunic dress – $90 – topshop.com
Hello again…For our fashion lunch interlude today, we are erring on the brighter side of corporate fashion with this crepe textured seam from tunic dress from Topshop.
Loving the boxy (read forgiving) shape of the dress, and the unique color, which can easily be paired with a navy or even lighter blue blazer or cardigan to change from the usual black. I find this dress very versatile as it can be worn cinched with a skinny belt, or flowing loose with some elegant low or wedge heels for work. And for the week, it can easily be merchandised with some dark leggings, funky vintage jewelry and sky high colored heels.
This dress is $92 at Topshop, and yes, we know it’s making you smile already…
Seen a great, work-appropriate fashion piece you’d like to share? please post a comment below or email us at corporate@thecorporatesister.com!
The Corporate Sister.
by Solange Lopes | May 15, 2014 | Career
madamenoire.com
Happy Thursday!
In life as in work, attitude is everything! A good one can take you far, and a bad one, well, can take you further..in the opposite direction, that is! But how about the stereotypical negative attitude that is so often (and so often mistakenly) attributed to Black and minority women, without them even being allowed to participate in this perceptions game that so unfairly labels them?
As Black and minority women in the corporate world, our stereotypical, media-induced, and culturally inaccurate reputation very often precedes us. And more often than not, it includes the word “attitude” in its most derogatory form. “She has way too much attitude!” “Black woman at work? Watch the attitude!”
You’d think all Black and minority women are enlisted in some form of finger-wagging, neck-twisting and eye rolling contest 24/7!
Truth is, many a times, it’s this same negative attitude we are expected to have, that pushes us to put our guards up and be on the defensive on an almost permanent basis. And many a times, when others expect you to behave badly, you end up feeling cornered and like a wounded beast, you just react instead of acting!
I remember my first job out of college in Big Corporate, and struggling to hide under my fear to be seen as the stereotypical, attitude-filled Black woman. Instead of being assertive and defending my otherwise hard work and brilliant ideas, I hid behind excessive compliance. For fear of being judged as being too aggressive, I kept silent and let others lay claim to my work and ideas. Instead of defending myself against faulty allegations, I walked away. And while I succeeded at not being perceived as having too much attitude, I failed at living up to my own potential.
Fast-forward a few years, and I’m still struggling with the power of perceptions in the workplace. Yet I’ve come to understand (and pay the price for understanding this ) that the problem is not being perceived as having too much attitude, but lacking the right attitude to succeed in the workplace. And that the right attitude is not to react out of fear of being misjudged (even if the fear is legitimate and the misjudging real), but rather to act out of a calm, cool and collected place of confidence and assertiveness.
Your thoughts?
The Corporate Sister
