In this high-octane season premiere of Being Brown at Work Live, I deliver a "no-sugarcoating" analysis of the current corporate landscape. Drawing on the newly released Lean In 2025 Women in the Workplace Report, I break down the sobering reality of the "crooked pathway" Black and Brown women are navigating today.
This episode moves beyond simple motivation to provide a strategic survival and advancement guide for 2026. I explore the critical difference between mentorship and transformative sponsorship, sharing personal stories of how sponsors opened doors to board seats and executive education.
The Burden of Race: 1 in 3 Black women worry their race will hold them back, despite being among the most highly educated demographics in the U.S..
The Burnout Crisis: 8 out of 10 Black women in leadership report high levels of burnout due to increased scrutiny and the constant pressure to prove their value.
The Corporate Priority Gap: Only 46% of companies view the advancement of women of color as a high priority, a double-digit drop from the general priority for women.
Environmental Awareness: "Call a thing a thing." Acknowledge the reality of your surroundings without taking on the burden of fixing others' discomfort.
Foundational Self-Awareness: Use high Emotional Intelligence (EQ) to understand your unique persona and set non-negotiable boundaries.
Strategic Community: Don't be an island. Seek out accountability partners and build a trust-based inner circle.
Narrative Control: If you don't define your excellence and your story, the organization will do it for you—often to your detriment.
Psychological Safety: Prioritize your peace. Protecting the "person who produces the excellence" is your most important job.
I want to leave you with a powerful reminder: the rules may be different and the field may be uneven, but with clarity and a different approach, you can successfully shape a career that remains firmly in your own hands.
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