Happy February! It is Black History Month and we are focusing even more on promoting diversity and diverse women in leadership.
Interesting Facts
- Black women are doing an incredible job on moving barriers and rising to the top.
- Studies show that black women are 3 times more likely to aspire to positions of power and a prestigious title than white women or other races.
- However, white women are twice as likely to attain said position of power and prestigious title.
What is Happening in the World?
- Currently there are 20 women at the helm of those fortune 500 companies. (about 4%).
- Once Ursula Burns, the CEO of Xerox leaves, there will be NO black women as leaders in the fortune 500 companies.
What We Can Do to Help
Even though black women have networks and support, they lack sponsors! One of the things that is critical is that if you want to reach the upper echelons of your ambition and reach the top levels in your business, you are going to need sponsors. The problem we are seeing in the world of business is that black women lack sponsors.
Sponsors are powerful well connected people, who talk about you and circulate your name, they unlock their networks to help you be more successful.
“Sponsors are like steroids for your growth trajectory”
My Challenge To You….
I would like to be a sponsor to aspiring black women in business. I am currently an advisor for the Visiting Women Executive Exchange Program at the Yale School of Management.
This program focuses on supporting diverse, especially African American, African Canadian women, into positions of senior leadership, in both the non-profit sector, the private sector, and in government.
We are running another cohort, and are looking for up and coming ambitious black women who would like to participate in this powerhouse program at the Yale School of Management. You will have access to the networks, the skills the resources that will help you reach the top.
If you know of a woman in your network who could benefit from a program like this and benefit from studying at the Yale School of Management, I invite you to have this person reach out to me personally at [email protected]. Please put “Yale” in the subject line, and I will respond to you as soon as I can with more information about the program.