Overview
A forthright assessment of the challenges faced by African Americans in the workplace
This guide offers practical suggestions for black Americans to develop mental awareness, a psychological game plan, and an increased level of business savvy in order to negotiate the minefield of the white work world. Included are commonsense scenarios and real-life solutions that will help every black American evaluate his or her options—from getting hired to getting fired, from adjusting one's attitude to suing an employer. Tips are offered on how African Americans can fit their styles, mindsets, and history into the workplace, and insight is provided into how best to deal with situations, problems, and issues unique to being black in a white working world. This new edition has been updated to account for changes in social networking, the Obama effect, the economic downturn, and recent court decisions.
Reviews
"This book examines in an insightful way a delicate and difficult issue—the triumph and tragedies of black upward mobility. Don't miss it!" —Cornel West, author, Race Matters
"Johnson has plenty of good advice." —Library Journal
"Breaks down work relationships in terms that almost every employed person can relate to." —Jacksonville Free Press
"I believe all employers should read Working While Black so they might learn how to work more effectively with African American employees. This book provides a powerful insight in the ways that African Americans must continually adjust in the workplace. If employers used that knowledge and responded in a meaningful way, the workplace would be much more productive and healthier for all employees.” —Kirk P. Perucca, president and CEO, Project Equality, Inc.
"With a refreshing blend of humor . . . and frankness, Johnson delivers no-nonsense advice." —Minority MBA
“[This] should be required reading for every black person entering the work place.” —Keith H. Williamson, president, Pitney Bowes Global Credit Services
Author Biography
Michelle T. Johnson is a former employment attorney, public speaker, diversity consultant, and mediator. She is the author of Black Out and the “Dear Diversity Diva” column in the Kansas City Star. She has worked as a journalist for the Austin American-Statesman, the Louisville Courier-Journal, and the Philadelphia Daily News. She lives in Kansas City, Kansas.
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