Our Separate Ways, With a New Preface and Epilogue : Black and White Women and the Struggle for Professional Identity

Addressing gender alone won't help women rise to the top. Although women come from widely diverse backgrounds, they share a common assumption upon entering the workforce: "I have a chance ." Along the way, however, they discover that people question their authority, challenge their intelligence, and discount their ideas. And while gender is a common denominator among these women, race and class are often wedges between them. In Our Separate Ways , Ella Bell Smith and Stella M. Nkomo take an unflinching look at the surprising differences between Black and White women's trials and triumphs on their way to the top. Based on groundbreaking research, the book compares and contrasts the experiences of 120 Black and White female managers in America. Powerful stories bring to life the women's often difficult journeys from childhood to professional success, highlighting the roles that gender, race, and class played in their development. Now with an updated preface and epilogue, the book provides candid discussions of the continuing challenge of achieving race and gender equality in the midst of deep political and ideological divides. You'll discover how White women have—perhaps unwittingly—aligned themselves more often with White men than with Black women and how systemic racism and biases still exist in organizations. But you’ll also learn what to do to leverage the talents of all women and eliminate systemic racism for good. Whether you lead an organization or simply want to better understand the dynamics at play in business today, you'll discover provocative ideas for creating a better workplace and encouraging equality for everyone. "Gender equality is at a crossroads. Let your diverse talent shine. Although successful professional women come from widely diverse backgrounds, educational experiences, and community values, they share a common assumption upon entering the workforce: "I have a chance." Along the way, however, they discover that people question their authority, challenge their intelligence, and discount their ideas. And while gender is a common denominator among these women, race and class are often wedges between them. In Our Separate Ways, Ella Bell Smith and Stella Nkomo take an unflinching look at the surprising differences between Black and white women's trials and triumphs on their way to the top. Based on groundbreaking research, the book compares and contrasts the experiences of 120 first-generation Black and white female managers in the American business arena. Engaging stories bring to life the women's powerful and often difficult journeys from childhood to professional success, highlighting the roles that gender, race, and class played in their development. Now with an updated preface and epilogue, this book provides candid discussions of the continuing challenge of achieving race and gender equality in the midst of deep political and ideological divides. You'll discover how white women have--perhaps unwittingly--aligned themselves more often with white men than with Black women and how systemic racism and biases still exist in organizations and in the broader society. But you'll also learn what organizations can do to leverage the talents of all women and create workplaces free of systemic racism. Whether you lead an organization, work in HR, or simply want to better understand the dynamics at play in business today, you'll discover provocative ideas for creating a better workplace and encouraging equality for everyone"-- Provided by publisher Named to the shortlist for the 2021 Outstanding Works of Literature (OWL) Award in the Women in Business CategoryAddressing gender alone won't help women rise to the top.Although women come from widely diverse backgrounds, they share a common assumption upon entering the workforce:'I have a chance.'Along the way, however, they discover that people question their authority, challenge their intelligence, and discount their ideas. And while gender is a common denominator among these women, race and class are often wedges between them.In Our Separate Ways, Ella Bell Smith and Stella M. Nkomo take an unflinching look at the surprising differences between Black and White women's trials and triumphs on their way to the top. Based on groundbreaking research, the book compares and contrasts the experiences of 120 Black and White female managers in America. Powerful stories bring to life the women's often difficult journeys from childhood to professional success, highlighting the roles that gender, race, and class played in their development.Now with an updated preface and epilogue, the book provides candid discussions of the continuing challenge of achieving race and gender equality in the midst of deep political and ideological divides. You'll discover how White women have—perhaps unwittingly—aligned themselves more often with White men than with Black women and how systemic racism and biases still exist in organizations. But you'll also learn what to do to leverage the talents of all women and eliminate systemic racism for good.Whether you lead an organization or simply want to better understand the dynamics at play in business today, you'll discover provocative ideas for creating a better workplace and encouraging equality for everyone. Named to the shortlist for the 2021 Outstanding Works of Literature (OWL) Award in the Women in Business Category Addressing gender alone won't help women rise to the top. Although women come from widely diverse backgrounds, they share a common assumption upon entering the "I have a chance ." Along the way, however, they discover that people question their authority, challenge their intelligence, and discount their ideas. And while gender is a common denominator among these women, race and class are often wedges between them. In Our Separate Ways , Ella Bell Smith and Stella M. Nkomo take an unflinching look at the surprising differences between Black and White women's trials and triumphs on their way to the top. Based on groundbreaking research, the book compares and contrasts the experiences of 120 Black and White female managers in America. Powerful stories bring to life the women's often difficult journeys from childhood to professional success, highlighting the roles that gender, race, and class played in their development. Now with an updated preface and epilogue, the book provides candid discussions of the continuing challenge of achieving race and gender equality in the midst of deep political and ideological divides. You'll discover how White women haveperhaps unwittinglyaligned themselves more often with White men than with Black women and how systemic racism and biases still exist in organizations. But youll also learn what to do to leverage the talents of all women and eliminate systemic racism for good. Whether you lead an organization or simply want to better understand the dynamics at play in business today, you'll discover provocative ideas for creating a better workplace and encouraging equality for everyone. **Addressing gender alone won't help women rise to the top.** In __Our Separate Ways__, Ella Bell Smith and Stella M. Nkomo take an unflinching look at the surprising differences between Black and White women's trials and triumphs on their way to the top. Based on groundbreaking research, the book compares and contrasts the experiences of 120 Black and White female managers in America. Powerful stories bring to life the women's often difficult journeys from childhood to professional success, highlighting the roles that gender, race, and class played in their development. Whether you lead an organization or simply want to better understand the dynamics at play in business today, you'll discover provocative ideas for creating a better workplace and encouraging equality for everyone. Copyright 9 Contents 12 Preface to the New Edition 14 Acknowledgments 24 Prologue 30 Introduction 40 Part I: Flashbacks 54 Ch 1: Lost Childhoods 56 Ch 2: Their Fathers' Daughters 80 Ch 3: Comfortable Families, Uncomfortable Times 96 Ch 4: Executives in Training 116 Part II: Flashpoints 128 Ch 5: Breaking In 130 Ch 6: Fitting In 150 Ch 7: Barriers to Advancement 166 Ch 8: Climbing over the Barriers 188 Ch 9: Making Change 204 Ch 10: Work Isn't Everything 218 Part III: The Self and The Other 242 Ch 11: The Racialized Self 244 Ch 12: Images of Other 264 Conclusion 282 Epilogue to the New Edition 292 Appendix A: The Women 304 Appendix B: Life History Interviews 306 Appendix C: National Survey 318 Notes 324 Bibliography 352 Index 372 About the Authors 382 Pt. 1.Flashbacks --1.Lost childhoods --2.Their fathers' daughters --3.Comfortable families, uncomfortable times --4.Executives in training --pt. 2.Flashpoints --5.Breaking in --6.Fitting in --7.Barriers to advancement --8.Climbing over the barriers --9.Making change --10.Work isn't everything --pt. 3.The self and the other --11.The racialized self --12.Images of other