From the General Sessions: Black Women... Ready to Lead

Attracting sponsors through engagement, taking risks and cultivating purpose-driven relationships are some of the strategies for African-American women to pursue the most powerful corporate jobs.

Panelists shared that advice during Friday’s "Black Women: Ready to Lead...Are You Ready?" session sponsored by Bank of America, DTCC and EY.

Moderated by Audra Bohannon, Senior Partner at Korn/Ferry, session panelists were Sandra Hurse, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Campus Recruiting and Program Management, Bank of America; Ehrika G. Gladden, head of Americas Cloud Consumption Models at Cisco; Danica Dilligard, Partner, Assurance Services practice, Ernst & Young; and, Ronald Parker, President and CEO of the Executive Leadership Council.

The 90-minute discussion revolved around the report, Black Women:Ready to Lead, which found that Black women are more likely than their white female counterparts to:

But despite their desire for a top job and honing their qualifications to earn it, black women are more likely to feel stalled in their careers and languish in middle management, the report said.

Among the findings: Black women find it difficult to win sponsorship with only 11 percent having sponsors.

"There is a different narrative . . . for Black women who are leaning in," said Tai Green, one of the report’s authors who provided an overview of the findings.

"They want to run the world as Beyonce’s lyrics say. . . they have vision. They just need the backing to execute on that vision," said the senior vice president of communications for CTI and chief operating officer at Hewlett Consulting Partners.

Panelists agreed that uncomfortable conversations are needed at the highest level on why so few black women make it to the C-suite. Panelists noted that Viola Davis summed up the problem during her Emmy acceptance speech earlier this week when she quoted Harriet Tubman, who said hundred of years ago that black women lack opportunities.

On the topic of sponsors, Gladden said the quality of her work attracted sponsors. "They get to know me through engagement," she said. And because she has multiple sponsors, she loves to take risks because someone always has her back.

Bohannon agreed. You can "engineer your reality by becoming a magnet based on your contributions, values and risks. These actions bring them to you," she said.

When the conversation shifted to how to handle people you don’t like at work, Gladden said to frame the relationship differently. Make it a purpose-driven relationship. Invite in people who can help you achieve a certain outcome. "When you do that the world unlocks before you," she said.

Hurse challenged attendees to have an interaction with someone you may not like daily. "Find something personal to connect on."

In general, African-American women tend to hold on to relationships that lack value, said Parker. "Free yourself and soar," he said as the female-dominated audience applauded.

On the issue of authenticity, panelists said there is a role for self-evolution and flexibility.

Gladden recommend an article in the January 2015 issue of the Harvard Business Review entitled The Authenticity Paradox. "It talks about if you are self-aware and self-defined, you will struggle more and the people who win are chameleons. It does an amazing job of breaking down authenticity for us."

"Know what you want, but don’t be so wedded to it, you miss opportunities in front of you," said Hurse.

Parker’s final thought: "Use your power, you have more early on than you think you do."