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Is your phenomenal daughter, niece, or mentee graduating soon?
As they gear up to take on the exciting, and sometimes intimidating, world of corporate America, you might be wondering how to best support them. Here’s where “The Rules of Engagement: A Sistah’s Guide To Navigating Corporate America,” by Amber Wynn comes in.
This powerful guide equips young Black women with the knowledge and strategies they need to survive and thrive in this new environment.
What inspired you to write this guide for young Black women entering corporate America?
I wanted them to enter the workforce better prepared than we were. As Black women, we excel. We work hard and see results. But in corporate America, very little of our success comes solely from working hard.
There are two sets of rules, and I wanted our young Black women to walk through the door understanding that and prepared for this cut-throat environment that they weren’t taught about in college. I saw so many young women in tears, stressed out, frustrated, angry, and lost at what they should do to navigate the terrain.
I wanted them to know, first, that there’s nothing wrong with them, and second, if they decide to stay in corporate America, there are things they need to know and do to make it in that environment.
Many young adults entering the workforce feel overwhelmed. What are some key tips for staying focused and motivated in those early career years?
Having a plan helps. A lot of the overwhelm comes from outside sources trying to define them.
If they go in knowing what to expect and how to respond to the gaslighting, the double standards, and the lack of support, they can alleviate some of that stress and overwhelm.
I wanted our young women to enter the workforce equipped, not flounder like I did.
What strategies do you recommend for young Black women to cultivate and maintain confidence in their abilities and contributions?
There’s an entire section on this in the book because our young Black women mustn’t allow others to make them feel less than others. If they aren’t grounded, centered, and supported, it will happen.
That’s why building a strong network of sistahs in the workforce is important. Your network will lift you up, and remind you that you are brilliant, that you have value, and that your contributions are important.
But it’s also important to maintain relationships with friends and family outside the workplace. They are your anchors, your constant reminders of who you are because they’ve known your true character long before you entered the workforce. They will remind you of who you are. That’s important because it’s easy to define your worth by your job. We don’t want that. Our young women are more than a title.
If they go in with a plan, and strategies in place, and build up a solid network, I believe they’ll fare far better than previous generations.
What do you hope readers will take away from your book, and what impact do you envision it having on young Black women entering the workforce?
My generation was conditioned to get a good education, and then get a good job.
There’s so much in between those two goalposts that is not spoken. I want readers to read the stories of brilliant Black professional women who have walked the same path and share their wisdom about work, life, and what’s really important. I want them to know that they always have choices. Our young women can choose which path is best for them with the right guidance.
We’re all different and have different goals. But with the right information, we can make choices that reduce the pain and struggle that often comes with working in a culture that doesn’t value all we have to bring as Black women. I hope to lend some of my wisdom to the next generation so that they are powerfully positioned for success in the workforce.
I want our young women to turn to this guide for information, resources, support, and a healthy dose of Sistah Gurl Love whenever they need it.
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