A letter to minorities in corporate America

Dear Friend:

You never know what you need to know until you need to know it but I hope in reading this our mutual experiences can provide you with some solace during the more difficult times.

I was once told the cause of many problems within this world is a lack of communication. So, like you, I sit in meeting after meeting trying to truly understand what is meant by corporate culture. How can we possibly collaborate effectively to make the world a better place if within our small social sphere we do not seek to truly understand each other? We underestimate the power of our words to the point where it becomes totally self-destructive. The profound realization that great Author Lauren Oliver had that she shivers thinking how easy it is to be totally wrong about people, to look at one tiny part of them and confuse it for the whole is one lesson our co-workers missed during their journey. Please understand that you are not alone, that there are many of us across the country that understand that the things that make you special and different are what define the companies you work for. Your background and experiences are what allows companies to truly engage a whole country of people just like you to provide products and services that truly impact lives.

You have to ask yourself: 1) Is this vehicle taking us where we need to go as a people? If not, it is your responsibility to yourself and future generations to create a path best suited for inclusion, opportunity and positive impact and 2) Is it taking you to where you need to go as an individual? Both are two important questions.

I also want to highlight two critical points of observation that you will need to study to ease some struggles you may have been having in the workplace. Firstly please study leadership, does the company vision align with your own? Does the driver of the vehicle understand how to truly get to the destination safely and efficiently? I use this analogy to illustrate that the guidance of the leader is important. If he or she is not creating a productive environment for progression then chances are not growing or your growth is inhabited. Secondly, is the vehicle problematic. You may have a great driver/ leader however the system in which they operate in is faulty and either needs to be fixed or disregarded. For you as an employee, you have to anticipate if the vehicle can make it to the destination and plan accordingly.

The hopes in this letter is not only to encourage you and to reassure you that you are not alone in your struggles in corporate America is it to get you to think again, to question and seek truth. With an analytical foundation driven by positive impact, I believe you can preserve through the toughest times.

Truly Yours

Dominic