Am I Good Enough?

This was the question that the young interviewee asked Oprah Winfrey during her final interview to be selected for the OWLAG (Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls). As the 3 hour special aired last Sunday night on the OWN channel, I couldn't help but think back to an incident 3 weeks ago where I had a similar experience, but didn't realize that I had actually asked myself that question.

I was in a class for executives in my company geared towards increasing our financial acumen, and getting us comfortable with using the financial tools and skills to drive every day results. It was an excellent class! Finance had not been my strong suit as a formally trained electrical engineer and IT professional, and I was looking forward to getting this part of my personal development plan addressed.

We were broken up into teams and the goal was to learn and deliver results at the same time: while we were taught key financial principles, we had to make financial decisions on a fictitious company. At the end of the 3 days, the team that created the most profitable business by making the most sound fiscal decisions with positive impacts to customer service and employee satisfaction indices, would be crowned the winner. There were 5 teams in the class.

I was coupled with 3 males (1 Indian, 2 Caucasian), two of whom were very confident, perhaps borderline arrogant about our chances of winning because of their familiarity with the subject matter. Thankfully, the third teammate was very grounded and down to earth, although it was evident over time that he knew his stuff, and he eventually came up with the idea for a killer project that helped our team place second overall at the end of the course. Throughout each round where we had a finite amount of time to make fictitious investments and take risks based on little known parameters (as most businesses do), I found myself having an interesting out of body experience:

• I saw me being ignored by two of the teammates when I asked clarifying questions or asked them to slow down and explain a concept I didn't understand. 
• I saw me many times on the defensive, explaining why I made a statement, after they gave me a look that implied it was a dumb statement. They would later apologize and say I was right. 
• I saw me taking several breaths and pushing through to explain why I thought we should make different decisions, challenging the status quo and encouraging the team to focus on the goal - win the game. 
• I saw me initiating dialog with our fictitious CEO after the first round, and encouraging him to be a firm leader and make a decision, even though others may not agree with him. That was his role as CEO and not be afraid. 
• I saw me being encouraging despite my perception that he had been subtly condescending and almost dismissive towards me in many ways.

I guess expending all of this energy asserting myself, defending my ideas, and pushing for risk for results took a toll, because by the time we got to the final day when we had to present our Fictitious Company's results to a team of REAL Senior Executives at our REAL company, my self esteem and self confidence had been whittled to almost nothing.

As we stood, the four of us, getting ready to present, I surveyed the room and realized first of all, I was the only one to wear any color: everyone else had on grey, navy blue (the new black!) or black and I had on mustard, beige and brown! I must say, I liked how I looked. Yet, I asked myself, "What are you doing here? Are you kidding yourself, thinking you can speak the financial jargon like these guys? Look at you, you even LOOK different! Finance people don't wear colors, look at the executives on the panel!" (They too were in traditional dark corporate colors).

As the negative thoughts crept into my head and the team began to make their presentations, I realized I had to make a conscious decision. No, that earlier that morning I HAD made a conscious decision - to wear color. I knew everyone else would be in the typical dark colors, but I had wanted to send a message that innovative ideas and great results can come from different and sometimes unexpected sources. Even places of Colour, pun fully intended! I said a quiet prayer and finding that inner strength, decided that I had every right to belong there, just as the other people did even though they had been practicing these terms for a longer time. I didn't feel it very much, but the decision was enough for me to crank my engine and kick into high gear.

When it was my turn to speak, I spoke with my gift of positive energy and recognition, giving kudos to the attorney on our team who came up with the project winning innovative idea and the financial benefits to our fictitious company. I remember the energy I expended convincing my teammates that his idea was a good one, and how we could craft it into a winning solution. They had even told me then, that maybe I should be in sales because I convinced them to go along with the idea!

When our presentation was complete, I received a lot of positive feedback about the presentation. It made me think about the challenges that women often have in a male dominated workplace, and the extra layer of energy and self confidence that we mine and unearth to sometimes prove our worth, defend and sell that winning idea - the one that no one else knows or sees yet, but you know it is an absolute winner.

When businesses are able to make their everyday cultures gender and race neutral, and are not only open to, but energetically go in search of ideas in the most unconventional and diverse places, then they will experience their greatest ROI (return on investment - how's that for using the principles I learned?). The best leaders are those who are able to create such cultures within their organizations. Until then, women and minorities will continue to have to find that layer of energy to share and sell their ideas to make their companies great. Why? Because we are leaders who want the best for our companies, even though they may not realize the pot of gold sitting right in front of them.

I look up to the hills, but where will my help really come from? My help will come from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. He will not let you fall. Your Protector will not fall asleep. 

             - David, King of Israel, 1040–970 BCE

GO HIGHER. DO MORE.

A Few Statistics on Minority Women in Leadership & Tech

Statistics Of Minority Women in Leadership

The spending power of women of color is immense. Their presence in the workforce is growing.₁ Yet, how well have businesses been doing in ensuring minority women have a seat at the table in the board room? In leveraging their abilities to communicate, inspire, teach and deliver results, to help lead companies to new levels of innovation?

• Minority women make up 13.4% of the US workforce ₂, and 1.6% corporate officer posts at 429 fortune 500 companies ₃

African-American women earn just 63 percent of white men, and Latina women fare worst of all – they earn only 53 cents for every dollar paid to white men. ₄

Women executives of all colors are leaving the top ranks of American business in droves. They held 32 percent of top jobs in 1990, but only 19 percent of such positions in 2000 ⁵

Women comprised 51.4% of management, professional and related positions.12 For racially and ethnically diverse women specifically: African-American women comprised 5.3% (2,761,000) of all people employed in management, professional, and related occupations

₆

 Minority Women in Technology

As we evolve from the manufacturing age to the digital age where technology rules, the ability of cultures to evolve is paramount, as they have done in the transition from agriculture to manufacturing. How well are minority women transitioning to the digital age?

•  According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, approximately 29% of the population consists of ethnic people of color, including people of African, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian origins. However, only about 11% of those working in IT belong to these groups. ₉
• 6.1% of technical men and 8.2% of technical women in Silicon Valley high-tech companies are underrepresented minorities. The proportion of African-American technical women goes from 4.6% at the entry level to 1.6% at the high level. ₈

Blacks and Hispanics constitute only 1.5% and 4.7% respectively of Silicon Valley’s tech population—well below national tech-population averages of 7.1% and 5.3%. ₇
　

Does it matter that we are not represented proportionally in “key” positions in society?

SOURCES1. http://www.newnewsletter.org/bestpractices/newreport2_woc0407.pdf 2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2003. 3. Catalyst Census of Women Corporate Officers and Top Earners in the Fortune 500, 2002. 4. Institute for Women’s Policy Research and the Urban Institute (Women’s eNews), 2004. 5. Analysis of U.S. Census Data by Peopleclick Inc. 6. Catalyst, Statistical Overview of Women in the workplace 2012 7. http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/03/women-of-color-in-tech-how-can-we-encourage-them/ 8. Obstacles 9. RECRUITING WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COURSES, Jo Sanders

What is "More"?

So what does "more" mean? "More" will mean different things to different people and at different times.

For the stay at home mother (by choice or not) there are lots of opportunities. Many are actually "doing more" everyday without even realizing it. My mother, Monica Hill-Ogilvie is a great example. She left a wonderful and fulfilling career (my assessment, and I wasn't even born yet!) as a government employee creating quality early education programs for children in the inner city (ghetto) in Kingston Jamaica. As a stay at home mother she did "more" for her family and children by staying involved in the school PTOs, voicing her opinion on policies that were right or wrong; devising educational programs in the summer for my siblings and I (no comment on how we felt about it), to keep our minds stimulated during the long summers; hosting home making classes for young women in the community, teaching us to sew, cook, bake in preparation for an independent life as adult women; taking care of my 2 grandmothers who lived with us and teaching us how to honor and respect the elderly within our communities; there were many more "mores". To all the stay at home mothers, pulling one of the hardest and thankless jobs there are in the entire world, you are not forgotten: you are probably doing "some" and are on your way to discovering "some more".

To those in the working world (corporate, education, government, non-profit etc.), "more" could feel like a simple reference to being promoted to higher levels. That's one option. "More" could also mean finding others to mentor, maybe others with greater potential than us to make it higher on the corporate ladder, and mentor them to show them "the ropes", what we were taught. For others, it could mean, because of where you are in life with health, school, family or finances, excelling in place. Doing your current job to the best of your abilities. Creating a continued sense of respect and credibility for your work. Even a demand for your skills or expertise by other departments, teams or companies because you are so good at what you do...until you are in a position to pursue and cash in on the demand.

One of my favourite Proverbs says "Do you see a man skillful in his work? He (or she) will stand before kings; he (or she) will not stand before obscure men." I truly believe this with all my heart. As we enter different phases in life, the best investment we can make is excelling where we are. Not because someone "promised you a promotion" or is welcoming you with open arms into the board room - chances are they are not (given the current statistics of women of color in leadership positions - fodder for another blog). But because, when you enter into that next phase and are ready to do some "more" you have enough proof of your capabilities and ability to excel.

The Original Thought...

I was born and raised in Jamaica, and also lived for short periods in Grenada and Trinidad, all islands in the Caribbean. People of African descent were the majority and to me that was the norm. After immigrating to and living in the US for the last 19 years, I have felt the struggle of the people of color. And as I have grown from teen into womanhood, I have experienced, felt and seen the plight of the woman of color as she struggles to live, contribute, thrive and lead in a culture where she is a minority.

I created this blog as part of a personal journey to understand why as women of color, we absolutely MUST continue to strive for higher levels of achievements in whatever ways we can. I hope to share my findings, information I have learned, links to resources and simply to encourage girls, young women and women of color, to strive for the highest achievements possible in all we do.

I recently faced these personal questions about the pursuit of higher levels of achievement recently, while I attended the Executive Leadership Program for Women (ELP) at Rutgers University and facilitated by Brigid Moynihan of The Next Level Inc.: How much do I want? How high should I set my personal career goals? Up until that point I was comfortable being in middle management. I was able to focus on producing excellence at work while maintaining duties as a wife, as well as mother of two active teenagers.

But the more I read the statistics and documents shared at the ELP program, and through many coaching sessions with my ELP coach Uneeda Frazier Brewer, the more I was convinced that I needed to WANT to do more.

The best changes don't ever happen if the same kinds of people are continually responsible for key and influential decisions. There is more than ever, a need for diverse ways of looking at things in order to create break through solutions to problems in all aspects of our economy, government, society, school systems and work places. And as women of color, there is an urgent need for more of us to step up onto the treadmill.

Women have long been known as the great stabilizers, and as such are found in many entry level positions within society as we keep businesses, schools, local governments, hospitals etc. humming. Society and our cultures, coupled with our natural God given tendency to nurture, has set precedent for our roles in society as generally the "focused ones". The stay at home mother who successfully raises strong children. The grandmother taking care of her grandchildren. The manager who nurtures and motivates her team. The principal and teacher who "parent" as well as teaches. As girls and women, I don't believe we have innate tendencies to live on the edge, to seek risky adventures; generally we don't struggle with strong urges to have power or influence; dreams of mega responsibility for large corporations or high level government officials don't seem to flood our sleep time at night or as young girls growing up. Generally, these drives and desires tend to be attributed to our male counterparts who seem to thrive on intense competition to "reach the top". It might sometimes seem women have been OK, satisfied or gratified "holding down the fort". And we do a damn good job, for these roles in society are important and needed. We would be nothing without them.

But while we are "holding down the fort", our perspectives are being missed from the congressional meetings, the local government discussions, the board room, the customer presentation meetings and the design conferences; meetings where decisions are being made about us, for us, and with far reaching impact not only for our immediate generation, gender and race, but for those to come.

I am wholly convinced that there are more women of color out there, just like the men out there too, who can handle the pressure, take on the mega decision-making responsibilities, lead the hundreds or thousands to growth and success. There are women of color in these roles today, but the lack is overwhelming (I will find and share these stats on this blog). And while much of this lack is due to barriers and many forms of deterrents, prejudices and biases, I am convinced there is a subset of warriors out there with the potential to join the fight, but consider this call to higher leadership vain or frivolous. Perhaps unnecessary. Because you are fully satisfied with your contributions and are delivering excellent results right where you are. Why join in the useless "fray" when you are being such a great stabilizer and contributor today? To what end? Or perhaps, you never thought about this need.

This has been my conversation with me too. And as I embark on this journey, I implore you to take another peek at this. Just one more time (or for the first time). Look at the possibilities. At the probable earth shattering changes that would occur if overwhelming numbers of girls of color pursue higher levels of excellence in school. And if women of color decide to make strides for higher levels of office, rank, leadership and influence.

Yes, you can't do it alone. And if you keep looking I strongly believe that your faith and desire to make a difference will be rewarded, and you will find the support you need, that strong support system necessary ready to leap into action: the supportive husband, son, daughter, sister, mother, neighbor and true friend. They will help you on the journey with the rest of us to bring perspective, diversity, creativity and innovation to a world that needs us oh so badly; they just don't realize it - yet.

This blog is a call to women of color to keep checking the pulse of their situation, and ask themselves, can I give more? can I go higher?