**********
When You Get Out
By David S. Williams III
The Vision
University of Pennsylvania
September, 1995
By David S. Williams III
The Vision
University of Pennsylvania
September, 1995
When you leave Penn, there are a few things that you can expect: 1) you wont be paid what you’re worth, 2) you wont be evaluated fairly and 3) there won’t be many African Americans
around you. The third constant above reveals the discrimination inherent in hiring practices throughout the business world. Executives are often afraid of hiring minorities because they’re worried about being labeled “reverse” discriminators.During a recent group meeting the Executive Vice President of my company asked if there was a perception of a “glass ceiling” in the company for women and minorities. In a room willed with 80 people, over half of whom were women, silence ruled. The EVP sounded genuinely surprised by the lack of responses, but it seemed no one would dare raise a voice on such a controversial topic. Up went my hand. “Well I can’t speak on a glass ceiling since I’ve only been here a short time, but I think the larger issue is recruiting.” Then slowly rising to my feet, “…because I can look all around this room, and I don’t see one person who looks like me.” A tense silence prevailed as my fellow employees kept their eyes fixed forward.
Since the EVP refrained from addressing the issue, one woman did try to lend some support. Her voice trembled. Although it was a valiant effort on her part, she might have been more helpful by remaining silent. “Interesting…” pondered the EVP, just before, “Let’s discuss our third quarter goals.”
After the meeting, I received all kinds of support from co-workers! I heard, “Hey, I agreed with everything you said!” or “Dave, you’re absolutely right about that. It’s great that you stood up for what’s right!” The feeling of camaraderie with my colleagues swelled inside me like…lava in an active volcano. Where was that support when my head was on the chopping block?
A few days later, the EVP left me a voice mail message inviting me to lunch to discuss the issue “brought up in the meeting.” We set it up for a week later (after one cancellation) to eat at Bennigan’s. After exchanging pleasantries and funny stories, we began discussing the issue. He asked me if it was difficult for me to work in an environment without any other Blacks, and I answered (after taking a very deep breath), that it was very difficult because I had no way of expressing concerns if I’m treated unfairly because of my race either by a colleague or by a client. I told him that the isolation alone makes it a hostile environment. The EVP explained that he had never thought about it that way. Surprise. Being the action oriented executive he is, he asked me for a solution. I suggested that the company begin recruiting at some predominantly African American schools naming three that have excellent reputations. To his credit, the EVP responded favorably, but his following response cut through me like a knife. He explained that his main concern in changing recruiting policies was upsetting the current employees because he would be locking out good potential white candidates because of race. For a moment, I thought I needed the Heimlich Maneuver! I wanted to say “Don’t you realize that we’ve been locked out of positions for 400 years!?,” but somehow, calm took over. The diplomatic answer given was that the caliber of candidates would not be compromised by recruiting from these schools. Lunch tasted awful, even after dessert.
There won’t be many African Americans around you because the EVPs of America perceive two risks in hiring us: 1) That they will upset white people, and 2) that we’re all lazy and won’t work hard to make them more money. Isolation and contempt sprout into a weed within, but just remember that the bills must be paid. As a result of going under the guillotine, I will be heading the recruiting efforts at these three African American Universities for our office.
**********
So what did I learn from this and how has it played out today? I've had successful stops at every point in my career and have overcome more than my fair share of narrow-minded people. I created a similar position for recruiting at Deloitte Consulting during my time there because the same situation occurred.
Today, I still get funny looks when I walk in a room. There aren't that many African or Caribbean Americans with executive positions at startup internet companies (like PatientsLikeMe). I am still proving myself everyday. We still have to be 10 times better to get the same opportunities.
Progress, however, is right in front of us. Barack Obama's candidacy for President has marked a major shift in perceptions of people of color in the United States. Where Colin Powell, Clarence Thomas, and Condoleeza Rice failed to connect with people who look like them, Obama has done so in a principled manner while still appealing to the majority. Good for him, good for us.
In that vain, I'm proud of the successful peers of color I have leading many industries, starting great companies, and contributing to academia. Let's keep it up, and pave the road for those who come after us.
