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Striving While Black: A Playbook for the Seriously Ambitious
Striving While Black is a quick read. It is a powerful collection of observations, tips, techniques as well as advice/counsel that will help the reader manage their corporate career. While anyone would benefit from this book, African-Americans who are currently working or contemplating a career in corporate America are the primary target and demographic. The author, Kwame Salter, distills over 22 years of successfully managing his own career and mentoring hundreds of other African-Americans in predominantly white corporate environments. The book is a combination of practical advice, self-help strategies and motivational insights that can be effectively utilized by those that Salter refers to as “the seriously ambitious.”
The book is divided into three sections and contains seven short, yet powerful, chapters. Section One, Get Ready, speaks to the need to gather as much information about the company before you start. More importantly, in this section, the author warns the reader to avoid stereotypical behavior that whites come to expect of blacks. Next, Section Two, Get Set, delves into the day to day behavior needed on the job to become successful. Finally, in Section Three , Go For It, introduces the concept of "relationship equity" to the reader. In other words, how important it is to be seen as a supportive and helpful co-worker.
Early on, Mr. Salter introduces the concept of Career IQ or Career Intelligence. Career Intelligence, he maintains, is the practical equivalent of the concept of mental intelligence coined and popularized by Lewis Terman of Stanford University in the early 1900’s. Terman used the IQ scoreas a way of quantifying intellectual functioning to allow for comparison among individuals. Mr. Salter uses the concept of Career Intelligence or CIQ to differentiate between mental ‘smarts’ and practical ‘smarts’. Salter defines Career Intelligence as a combination of organizational savvy, interpersonal skills and learning agility.
The book covers important topics, issues and challenges faced by African-Americans and to some extent by other People of Color in corporate America. More importantly, the reader is provided with sound advice and strategies to deal with these challenges. The book concludes with a powerful Epilogue along with Bonus Material and Worksheets that should prove helpful to the “seriously ambitious.”
The book is divided into three sections and contains seven short, yet powerful, chapters. Section One, Get Ready, speaks to the need to gather as much information about the company before you start. More importantly, in this section, the author warns the reader to avoid stereotypical behavior that whites come to expect of blacks. Next, Section Two, Get Set, delves into the day to day behavior needed on the job to become successful. Finally, in Section Three , Go For It, introduces the concept of "relationship equity" to the reader. In other words, how important it is to be seen as a supportive and helpful co-worker.
Early on, Mr. Salter introduces the concept of Career IQ or Career Intelligence. Career Intelligence, he maintains, is the practical equivalent of the concept of mental intelligence coined and popularized by Lewis Terman of Stanford University in the early 1900’s. Terman used the IQ scoreas a way of quantifying intellectual functioning to allow for comparison among individuals. Mr. Salter uses the concept of Career Intelligence or CIQ to differentiate between mental ‘smarts’ and practical ‘smarts’. Salter defines Career Intelligence as a combination of organizational savvy, interpersonal skills and learning agility.
The book covers important topics, issues and challenges faced by African-Americans and to some extent by other People of Color in corporate America. More importantly, the reader is provided with sound advice and strategies to deal with these challenges. The book concludes with a powerful Epilogue along with Bonus Material and Worksheets that should prove helpful to the “seriously ambitious.”
74 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2013
22 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 4, 2020
Good Points and Tips Related to Being Black in Corporate America
This book is a very quick read. It contains very good points on how to navigate and excel in a corporate job as a black person. I think it would be have added more if there were explicit workplace examples that the author or those the author knows had experienced related to the topics laid out in the book. I think this is more helpful for the young black person just starting out or who is very young in their career (less than 5 years). I would recommend to anyone that is black and works in Corporate America and is interested in promotion and advancement.
This book is a very quick read. It contains very good points on how to navigate and excel in a corporate job as a black person. I think it would be have added more if there were explicit workplace examples that the author or those the author knows had experienced related to the topics laid out in the book. I think this is more helpful for the young black person just starting out or who is very young in their career (less than 5 years). I would recommend to anyone that is black and works in Corporate America and is interested in promotion and advancement.
March 20, 2019
Excellent quick read
A good quick flowing reminder of the simple keys to success in white spaces. Recommended for any black employee or ally (for perspective)
A good quick flowing reminder of the simple keys to success in white spaces. Recommended for any black employee or ally (for perspective)
December 13, 2016
Black Playbook for Corporate
Never be ashamed to be Black and be proud to say it: epitomizes Kwame's excellent book. I enjoyed His great perspective on being black in Corporate America; my understanding is to "Stay Strong Black Man or Woman nothing comes easy or will be given to you".
Never be ashamed to be Black and be proud to say it: epitomizes Kwame's excellent book. I enjoyed His great perspective on being black in Corporate America; my understanding is to "Stay Strong Black Man or Woman nothing comes easy or will be given to you".
January 25, 2014
Insightful for young professionals
This is an excellent read for those transitioning to higher levels in a corporate environment large or small. If you have been in a management level, many of the insights are not new. Easy quick read.
This is an excellent read for those transitioning to higher levels in a corporate environment large or small. If you have been in a management level, many of the insights are not new. Easy quick read.
January 2, 2017
Much needed Knowledge in this Strive for Black Advancement
I really enjoyed the ease of reading in this book. The book was right on point and short. Great for busy professionals.
I really enjoyed the ease of reading in this book. The book was right on point and short. Great for busy professionals.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews