Black History Month
Black History Month
October is the month we celebrate black history in the UK.
“Proud to be” inspired by Black Lives Matter for people all over the UK to share what they are proud of on social media.
One of the things that inspired me to curate the ‘Black Women Leading & Winning Series’ on my podcast ‘Better Mental Health’ was sharing the narrative of women in the corporate and business space who are doing great things.
I think it is important to celebrate the heritage and culture of black people every day especially black women.
Yet, even in 2021 diverse women still have a sense of not belonging and there is a different standard, or another pedestal to reach to get noticed.
Ratings affect promotions & pay rises
If you go to work and just do your job to the best of your ability and, you do not look or sound like the majority of today’s leaders.
You are less likely to be rated as a top performer or flagged as ‘high potential’
To progress in your career you need to be visible, but the concrete ceiling is a very real experience for many diverse women.
Diverse women in corporate
There is so much bias involved when it comes to conversations around performance management or the appraisal process.
Often this may feel better if it is not just your line managers subjective opinion and there is a 360 process which incorporates feedback from wider colleagues.
To help give you diverse perspectives, which may help you get more noticed.
How do you get into rooms where you are not represented?
- Get a mentor or buddy- Someone in your organisation who is influential. You want them to be speaking up on your behalf behind closed doors. This person will be someone you can relate to and who you can learn and who will help you to develop in your role and career to get more noticed.
- Playing office politics – If you like to go to work and keep your head down, get on with your day and go home and you don’t engage in the games will it be more difficult to get noticed? Office politics can be tiring and exhausting, but you do at least need to know the rules and observe them!
- Get the work of your team noticed. If you don’t manage a team, make the team you work within visible. Get a slack channel, intranet, find a project or platform that will enable you to showcase each other’s work and share all the great things you are doing on a regular basis. Get you team to boost about you, it leaves an evidence trail that is indisputable,
- Be clear about your USP. What do you want to be known for? What is your speciality area, passion or expertise? This is the area you stand out in and people recognise you for. Your own unique signature. Spend time polishing this and shine brightly in this area.
- Make yourself more visible. Go to all the extracurricular stuff, work drinks, join committees, figure out how to get exposure and build relationships across the organisation. Make your colleagues have a positive experience working with you by making life easier for them, so they find you helpful, more importantly make sure you stand out and they know your USP.
Kinship is a Safe Space for Diverse Women. The first Friday of each month to explore the intersectionality of Race & mental health.
If you would like to attend. Please register here