building a king

5 things African American men can do to flourish in a majority white workplace

It takes a curated collection of ideas, beliefs, experiences, and behaviors for African American men to reach a level of success in any discipline. If we were to survey the lives of thousands of men of African descent that have been successful in any setting, we would see many similarities. When we find ourselves in settings where we are not the dominant group, specifically in the Western world, we have to be conscious of the society in which we are operating. 

In observance of Labor Day,  I feel it necessary to provide practical information concerning the workplace this month. You’d be surprised to know that I haven't reached 30 but have come across many African-American men that find themselves working in majority white settings, but not thriving to the best of their ability. Comments from workmates with racial undertones may chip away at your level of enthusiasm. Social gatherings and networking events may cause mental strain because they don’t seem very diverse or inclusive. Your boss may be overly impressed by the amount of effort you put into your work, or may put unrealistic expectations on you, as opposed to other workmates. It all happens.

Below, I’ve outlined five ways that have helped me and many of the men I know personally, thrive in majority white workplaces in the United States.

understand how people perceive you

In the United States, a long history of racial segregation has continued even after it was formally outlawed decades ago. Even when many of us grow up in environments that are predominantly black (mostly black neighborhoods), we still interact, at least at some point, with white Americans: a teacher, a librarian, a police officer,  or business owner. Depending on the job and the location, it is completely likely for you to be the first African-American that a White American comes into close contact with on a consistent basis. It has happened to me many times. With that in mind, popular culture plays a crucial role in your understanding of how people view you. That is because popular culture is where most people interface with groups of people that they do not interact with on a regular basis. If you have never met a Guatemalan before, or a person of Jewish faith, or a Iraqi soldier, your understanding of who that person is will largely be based on what you have seen, read and heard. Do understand that the images and points of view regarding African-American men in popular culture are not largely positive or affirming. That alone will explain why certain people in the workplace will have stifling preconceived ideas about who you are, your family history or your belief system. 

Some people will assume you have a natural “coolness” factor. Colleagues will try to approach you using “urban” slang, or specific hand gestures. As harmless as this may seem, I encourage you to avoid that trap. Your standard in the workplace should be competence and mutual respect. It works in your favor to be well respected and competent over anything else. 

[This link from the NMAAHC is a great resource https://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/popular-and-pervasive-stereotypes-african-americans]

Understand yourself

Truthfully, African-American men from all walks of life are very self-hating. That is normal in our society since it has had a special disdain towards African Americans throughout history. In my experience, some men will be hyper conscious of what White Americans think of them or Black people in general, and allow that to influence what they think of themselves. Understand that this is very, very dangerous. 

Let me explain how dangerous this is. A few years ago, a popular guy I knew invited me to his apartment for a few drinks before a group of young women were expected to arrive. We talked a little, and ended up on the conversation of Black history and culture. Within minutes he looked at me and said with the most conviction, “William, we haven’t contributed much to society. What have we really done?” This guy was known in Black circles across the Southeast. He had attended a Black college and was a member of a well-known Black Fraternity. 

What was missing amidst his black rearing was the chance to truly understand oneself and one’s history beyond the confines of white domination. A highly successful African-American microbiologist once told me it is rare that we as Black men have the opportunity to think and exist unencumbered by the belief that white people are superior. 

If you operate in majority White settings with the belief that Whites are inherently superior to you, two things are expected to happen.

First, you will try to assimilate and mimic “White” values. This will prove unfruitful  since the attempt is only for the approval of, and not the respect of, your colleagues. You should only display the behaviors that are truly at the core of your belief system.

Second, you will be overly critical of other African-American men in the workplace, or reluctant to associate with them. 

1. What to Do: 

   • This takes years to work through because it requires unlearning the negative and damaging perspectives that pervade American society. 

   • Compile a list of books, films and articles around Africana studies. In many cases what causes African-Americans to have poor perceptions of themselves and one another is because they don’t have a deep and critical understanding of themselves and of their history.  

   • The works of WEB DuBois, Walter Rodney, Bell Hooks, Stephen Cater, Henry Louis Gates, Carter G. Woodson, and Angela Davis are all highly recommended. A good starting place would be “The Miseducation of the Negro” by Carter G. Woodson. I read this work every summer to readjust my thinking.

   • As you begin to piece together and come to understand Black History, it is likely that you will have a stronger and clearer understanding of who you are and what you represent. It will also provide a framework for you to understand Black identity across cultures, continents, ethnic groups and time periods.

develop yourself PROFESSIONALLY and personally

If you have worked in a majority white setting where you were one of few, if not the only African American man, you will understand that in some cases your colleagues may hold contradictory beliefs. For example they may consider African-Americans in general to be lazy, but expect you or black coworkers to do the majority of the workload. They may consider African-Americans to be difficult or hard to work with, yet create work environments that are inherently hostile and unreasonable. That sort of dissonance can cause a major strain on your performance if you allow it to. I have seen far too many men invest in social acceptance in the workplace, as opposed to personal and professional development in the workplace. This means, spending far too many nights at company parties, far too many evenings at happy hours, far too much time at the golf course, at the country club, at sporting events, and the like. It should always be your goal to deliver your absolute best in the workplace, whether you are working for yourself or for someone. Except nothing less than the absolute best. Unless you are working in a relatively new field or discipline, there are probably African-American men that have successfully done what you have done before. Research their biographies. Watch and listen to their interviews. Annotate their resumes. If they are still living, arrange a chance to hear them speak at a conference or lecture. In so doing, you will find a treasure trove of nuggets along the way that will help you get better at whatever it is that you do.  

In addition, develop yourself personally. That can mean different things for every man, but in general, personal development requires you to do a deep self analysis and create a plan to improve over the course of your lifetime. Some of the invaluable skills in the workplace:

Communication - being able to convey a clear and concise message to as many people as necessary. 

Tip: record your next presentation or conversation at a meeting. Play close attention to the tone of your voice, the amount of word fillers you use, the way you groups words together. Have someone evaluate it with you and point out areas where you can improve. Take a look at the last emails or reports you have written. Compare them to those of years ago. Has the language improved? Is it clear and concise or vague and verbose? Are you easily communicating your message? 

Organization - being able to arrange information or objects into clearly identifiable spaces or categories 

Tip: Take a look at your work space every few months and do an honest assessment. Do some papers need to be scanned and filed electronically? Do you need to buy a smaller, less bulky desk? Can you arrange certain files or items better so they are easily accessible?  Being well organized will do wonders to your personal and professional life.

Time Management - being able to successfully leverage your workload with the amount of time that you have. 

Tip: Always devote the most time to the most important projects first. Create a to do list. Be realistic about what you have to do and the amount of time it takes to do it. Learn to say now about accepting extra tasks when you know you cannot complete them. Ask for help when you need it. Ask questions to clarify if you are not sure. Get started as soon as possible.

Build meaningful relationships with other African-American men (and women) 

At every point in my academic and professional career, I have had genuine relationships with other African-American men to help me stay level headed. It may not have been at that specific job or institution, but it was a bond that kept me self-aware and motivated. You cannot always expect or assume that your workplace will be respectful or inclusive of your culture, but you can find organizations, clubs or places of worship that will be supportive and affirming. Among these relationships should be two of note: a seasoned mentor and an ambitious neophyte. 

Having someone who is a veteran in your field that shares your racial and cultural identity will help you prepare for potential obstacles you may face, and inform you on how much the industry or discipline has changed over the years. It also keeps you humble and reminds you that you were not the first, or will you be the last. I have seen cases where, because they were the “token” Black person in the workplace, some men thought more of themselves that necessary. Avoid that at all costs. By all means have a strong work ethic, and be proud of the work that you do, but also remember that there are many like you who came before you that were just as good, if not better.

Mentoring a young person in your field will do four major things for you professionally. Firstly It will mature you, because you will recognize that someone is watching your behavior and being influenced. Secondly, it will keep you sharp, because their questions and concerns may cause you to reflect on your professional history, both your successes and failures. Thirdly, it will help you groom a young person that could easily replace you or join you in that work setting. Take special note of this because only certain types of African-American men will do this. Unfortunately, what happens in many cases, is that men will find themselves in the upper rungs of success and leave doors shut for young men to follow behind them. I have seen it happen more than I would like. This is especially sad because it communicates that he does not value himself or his abilities enough to invest in preserving them in the next generation. Men that are committed to their disciplines and successful in them are consistently pouring into the next generation, and finding resources and pathways to make it easier for them.

Avoid the trap of being the designated diversity advocate

Being aware of social issues that plague our society is commendable; more people should educate themselves. When we work and operate in majority white settings, our workmates like to turn to us for our points of view or our feedback. This is especially true for men that are hyper conscious.

Unless you are working the field of social justice or advocacy, wearing your politics on your sleeve will, in most cases not work in your favor. Your beliefs are your beliefs. Your values are your values, period.  Assuming that your workmates care, or share those beliefs and values is not realistic, and reprimanding them when they don’t is even worse. Should you have high moral expectations of people? Absolutely. That doesn’t mean that you are an expert on social justice.

When you find yourself constantly talking about race, constantly talking about injustice, or constantly talking about white privilege, you will sooner or later become the source of all knowledge on this subject matter. Some men appreciate this position. I want to warn you that it may seem noble on the surface, but many of your workmates may put all of the responsibility on you, and not do the work to educate themselves on social justice, white privilege, or equity. Unless that is something you are really passionate about, you are not required to speak on social issues just because you identify with a specific ethnic group, nor should you ever feel pressured to. Speak when you are ready. Speak openly, honestly and from the heart.