Is the Angry Black Woman Stereotype Keeping You From Corporate Success?

by Solange Lopes | Dec 18, 2013 | Career

Photo: bing.com

There are many stereotypes and cultural pre-conceived ideas that come with being a sister in the corporate world. Unfortunately, many not as positive as we would wish…One of these, the Angry Black Woman Syndrome as dubbed mostly in the media and popular culture, is unfortunately very much present in the corporate space, albeit seldom spoken about or expressed outright. From speaking to a number of corporate big and little sisters, there almost seems to be an expectation that as minority women in corporate environments, we may have a slight tendency towards somewhat of a lack of self-control or even flat-out anger. That maybe our reactions may not be as predictable, or professional, as would be expected.

This is in part attributable to the portrayal of Black women in most media outlets. Indeed, as we look around, there are so very few images of minority women holding high corporate, or official ranks in the public eye, that the predominantly negative palette tends to take over. Combined with already pre-existing stereotypes and views of minority women in general, and the increasingly small percentage of diversity in visible spheres of influence in society, this turns out to be more damaging in the end than we can ever think. So, faced with this, how do we move past the negative perceptions towards success as corporate sisters? During my years in corporate, and through the advice of many who’ve gone before me, these are some of the recommendations and advice that’s stayed with me over the years and through many a corporate environment….

Separate Yourself from the Stereotype: This has turned out to be more of a mental exercise than anything else. No one is confined to a single stereotype, or idea of who they are, wherever this idea may be coming from. And once we separate ourselves from what others may be thinking of us, and concentrate on our values, work and ethics, we will tend to see less and less of these very stereotypes. And the less we internalize the negative, the more we externalize the authenticity of who we are, and place ourselves in a frame of mind to produce our best results, and in the process, change the very mentalities and perceptions that threaten to plague our success.

Pick Your battles: My mama still tells me to move my tongue around my mouth seven times before speaking…And if anything, this single piece of advice has saved my career many times over. Difficult situations pop up everywhere, especially at work where we have to address them with as much professionalism and integrity as possible. As would also happen anywhere where different people, cultures, and ideas come together, there is bound to be misunderstanding and friction. When under-represented minorities, cultural and social stereotypes add to the mix, it can be even more complicated. And while it may be difficult, it can certainly pay to evaluate the consequences of every interaction, pick the professional battles that are worth it, and steer clear from anything detrimental to our careers and professional advancement…

Document, document, document! In the corporate world, as in most professional environments, the power of the written word is still very much prevalent! A great big corporate sister of mine always told me that ” it’s not real until you write it down!” From work achievements, to conflict resolution in the workplace, documentation is always, ALWAYS, every professional’s best ally.

Are You Pushing through to your corporate success?