Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Career Strategies for Asians [Hardcover]

Jane Hyun (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 3, 2005

You're educated and ambitious. Sure, the hours are long and corporate politics are a bane, but you focus on getting the job done, confident that you will be rewarded in the long run. Yet, somehow, your hard work isn't paying off, and you watch from the sidelines as your colleagues get promoted. Those who make it to management positions in this intensely competitive corporate environment seem to understand an unwritten code for marketing and aligning themselves politically. Furthermore, your strong work ethic and raw intelligence were sufficient when you started at the firm, but now they're expecting you to be a rainmaker who can "bring in clients" and "exert influence" on others. The top of the career ladder seems beyond your reach. Perhaps you've hit the bamboo ceiling.

For the last decade, Asian Americans have been the fastest growing population in the United States. Asians comprise the largest college graduate population in America, and are often referred to as the "Model Minority" – but they continue to lag in the American workplace. If qualified Asians are entering the workforce with the right credentials, why aren't they making it to the corner offices and corporate boardrooms?

Career coach Jane Hyun explains that Asians have not been able to break the "bamboo ceiling" because many are unable to effectively manage the cultural influences shaping their individual characteristics and workplace behavior—factors that are often at odds with the competencies needed to succeed at work. Traditional Asian cultural values can conflict with dominant corporate culture on many levels, resulting in a costly gap that individuals and companies need to bridge. The subtle, unconscious behavioral differences exhibited by Asian employees are often misinterpreted by their non-Asian counterparts, resulting in lost career opportunities and untapped talent.

Never before has this dichotomy been so thoroughly explored, and in this insightful book, Hyun uses case studies, interviews and anecdotes to identify the issues and provide strategies for Asian Americans to succeed in corporate America. Managers will learn how to support the Asian members of their teams to realize their full potential and to maintain their competitive edge in today's multicultural workplace.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

A different take on people issues that corporations face is proffered by Hyun, a former human resources executive who knows the subject well. After all, she points out, Asian Americans are growing 41 percent faster than any other demographic group yet hold only 12.5 percent of U.S. management positions. What underlies those startling statistics is one word: culture. Eastern values are almost diametrically opposed to Western. Asians are risk averse, for instance, preferring to keep their heads down rather than speak up or confront workplace issues. That emphasis on collective decision making and conflict avoidance hinders career advancement, at best, and, at worst, can derail future vocational choices. Hyun's help is multiple, from individual profiles and skill-defining exercises to interviewing and mentoring tips, all geared to the special needs of people growing up Asian in a very macho, aggressive culture. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“Jane shows how cultural values can adversely impact workplace behavior, and provides tips for overcoming those differences.” (Kate Wendleton, President, The Five O'Clock Club, a national career coaching and outplacement organization, and author of Targeting a Great Career, among other books )

“This much-needed work ... will be hugely valuable to anyone who’s interested in achieving cultural fluency in the workplace.” (Patrice A. Hall, Managing Director and Head of Diversity, JPMorganChase )

“Provocative, thoughtful, and engaging ... offers insights and strategies for all persons of Asian descent striving for career advancement and success.” (Diane Yu, Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President, New York University )

“I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is committed to diversity and inclusion.” (Dr. Johnnetta Cole, President, Bennett College for Women )

“Read this book and find out how best to manage your career in today’s multicultural workplace.” (Kyung H. Yoon, Vice Chair, Heidrick and Struggles )

“Filling a void where generic career guides leave off, this is a crucial handbook for anyone in today’s multicultural workplace.” (Asian Fortune )

“Jane Hyun confronts the dilemma of how to be an Asian in America...a truly valuable and insightful resource.” (J.D. Hokoyama, President and CEO, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP) )

“A well-written, easy to read and thorough compendium for every Asian who wants to move up the ladder.” (Susan RoAne, the nation's undisputed networking expert, keynote speaker and author of How To Create Your Own Luck and How To Work a Room )

“[This] is the book Asian Americans in the workplace have needed for decades.” (Paul Tokunaga, author of Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders )

“A clear, straightforward guide to easing cultural barriers between Asian Americans and their non-Asian counterparts.” (Luke Visconti, Partner/Cofounder, DiversityInc. )

“Knowing yourself and the values that you hold are integral steps to developing leadership competencies... A must read .” (Jim Loehr, Principal, LGE Performance Systems, author of Power of Full Engagement, and creator of the Corporate Athlete Training System )

“(Empowers) individuals to take charge of their careers and gives them the tools to navigate the corporate structure.” (David Chu, Founder and former President and CEO, Nautica, Inc. )

“(Gives) a set of maps to define, measure and envision professional lives... Hyun reveals truths that often remain unspoken.” (Phoebe Eng, Creative Director, The Opportunity Agenda and author, Warrior Lessons: An Asian American Woman's Journey into Power )

“Inspiring and engaging! Every Asian professional and student, (and) anyone who works with them, should read this book.” (Jino Ahn, President and Founder, Asian Diversity, Inc. )

“Should be required reading for both Asian and non-Asian readers.” (Dennis Ling, Senior Vice President, Global Finance and Treasurer, Avon Products, Inc. )

“Finally! A book that addresses the truth and shatters so many myths and misconceptions about Asian Americans in the workplace.” (Vincent Yee, National President, NAAAP (National Association of Asian American Professionals) )

“Addresses an issue that most of corporate America and diversity experts have been silent about... [an] important work.” (Professor David Thomas, Harvard Business School and Author of Breaking Through: The Making of Minority Executives in Corporate America )

“Practical, personable and strategic, Jane Hyun is the workplace mentor every Asian American would like to have.” (Eric Liu, Author of Guiding Lights and The Accidental Asian )

“Read it, and find clarity about who you are and what you want to become.” (Eric Liu, Author of Guiding Lights and The Accidental Asian )

“[Shows] where the gaps between the Asian American and business perspectives are, and how we can bridge these differences.” (Jade magazine )

“Powerful ... Hyun presents valuable strategic and tactical next steps that Asian professionals can implement to advance their careers.” (Philip Berry, Vice President, Global Workplace Initiatives, Colgate-Palmolive )

“A useful guide for anyone seeking advice on how to get ahead in business.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“An important book for anyone hoping the make that career move…and realize his full professional potential.” (Korea Times )

Hyun’s help is multiple... Enlightening—and very necessary. (Booklist )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: HarperBusiness (May 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060731192
• ISBN-13: 978-0060731199
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #839,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I'm an Asian, not an Idiot, February 22, 2007

By 

Elizabeth (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Career Strategies for Asians (Paperback)

Let me save you some money...because if you're Asian, you're definitely all about saving money:

Section 1: You're Asian. That means you're reserved and don't like to toot your own horn. Let me tell you a story about Bobby Chang... (repeat 50 times)

Section 2: You're raised to only want to be a doctor or a lawyer and business is only a backup. You should be less reserved, toot your own horn, and find a job you really love *but* that doesn't mean you're less Asian! Let me tell you a story about Suzie Lee...(repeat 50 times)

Section 3: Even though I encouraged you to do whatever you want in the previous section, now I'm going to tell you how to get ahead in business because you're Asian, and that's obviously the job you're in.

I understand she had to make generalizations to make the book appealing to a diverse group of people, but it's so watered down that it's near meaningless. She repeats herself so much that the actual content could be boiled down to 10 pages or so.

Most of book is spent describing what it means to be Asian. While this was done succinctly on one page, the descriptions were then repeated over and over again until it became a charicature. I get it already. It's not like I didn't already spend over half my life living amongst non-Asians and haven't analyzed or overanalyzed all the ways I'm different. Most of my Asian friends are a pretty self-aware bunch.

Where the book could've been most helpful, it was pretty much useless. Instead of giving tips on how to change the habits she identified, her advice boil down to "change your ways," "here are some things you can say," or "this is what I told this one guy and it changed his life." She has a few good tips here and there, but most of the examples she gives of things you can say sound really unnatural and brown-nosey. Her job advice seems geared for some generic 'Office Space' role. In addition, her self-assessment tests provide no way for you to assess them after you've taken them.

If this were a book on how to be a faster runner, it would go something like this:
You run slow. You need to run faster because you run slow. Other people can see you run slow. Therefore, you should run faster. Here's a stopwatch. You should time how fast you run, but I'm not going to tell you how to run faster or what your speed means. I gave Johnny Kim a pair of new sneakers and now he's in the Olympics.

WTF?!

I gave it two stars for those Asians out there who dodn't realize how Asian-y they're being. This book could be a tremendous help to them. It's also always nice to hear someone confirm what you think and tell you how others perceive you. But if you already realize your shortcomings and someone telling you to "speak up" isn't all the encouragement you need to change, then look elsewhere or just skim it in the bookstore.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unique and Solid, June 12, 2005

By 

Jaewoo Kim "OB-Wan" (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Career Strategies for Asians (Hardcover)

A book specifically targetting Asian American professionals has long been overdue (where in the world are all the would be Asian American authors????). This book provides solid advice for Asians climbing the corporate ladder. In summary, values that Asian American parents inculcate into their children (obedience, passiveness, modesty, extreme emphasis on education over experience) often work against Asians. Here are the key points summarized at the end of the book.

1)Take time to do a thorough self assessment.
2)Recognize your bamboo ceiling barriers, both personal and organizational.
3)Choose an Employer that fits your personal values and interests.
4)Develop cultural competence.
5)Find mentors.
6)commit to building a deep and broad network.
7)Make use of your bicultural and bilingual abilities.
8)Get into the habit of asking for and giving honest feedback.
9)Develop resilience in your career.
10)Be politically astute.

The book could have provided more details on how one can improve one's chances of promotion in ways which are not culturally related.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read But Some Caveats, October 13, 2005

By 

A. Chan (Kochman Mavrelis Associates) & B. Ma... - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Career Strategies for Asians (Hardcover)

It is to Jane Hyun's credit to discuss issues of Asian American professionals on a very practical level. There are however, some caveats for the reader. The book needs to be contextualized within a larger conceptual framework. The overarching issues are ignored within her practical framework, namely: Who needs to change? Who needs to accommodate whom? How much? What are the risks and benefits? Her book appears to be saying that corporate America needs to understand Asians, but it does not need to change. Rather it is the Asian professional that needs to change and adapt.

Is the book too heavily assimilationist? It is not clear as Hyun does make a distinction early in her book between assimilation ("adopting ...at the expense of one's own cultural characteristics") and acculturation ("adapting ...while continuing to maintain values, perspectives, and features of one's native culture").

There appears to be little adaptation of any Asian models or perspective to the mainstream USA corporate culture -- page 279 suggests two ways: "Develop cultural competency" and "Make use of your bicultural and bilingual abilities." While recognizing the dominance of USA/Western research and models in the business world, it is also logical and no "one model fits all." Perhaps future research and practices can provide indigenous Asian models or perspectives that can be adapted and work effectively in coporate America or other cultures. The Special Issue on China & India (Business Week, August 22/29, 2005) points out how some USA business models are not applicable.

It is not an either/or proposition. By utilizing the juxtaposition of the Asian behavior/values system versus the Western behavior/values system to present her central thesis, Hyun creates a false dichotomy in the mind of the reader. Current business literature is filled with exhortations of "win/win," "both/and," "alignment," and "interdependence" -- all very Asian concepts. These traditional Asian cultural values are at the very heart of what contemporary corporate America is trying to effect in order to add value. So there is a "baby with the bath water" caveat here to the reader. The accommodation needs to be reciprocal, not unilateral.

In her Epilogue, Hyun encourages the reader to "Develop an Action Plan That Works with Your Persona." It seems throughout her book that the emphasis is on asking the reader to tailor his or her persona to that which is required for success in corporate America, not on utilizing the behavioral strengths and cognitive positions with which someone who comes with a strong Asian cultural background is imbued. Being Asian -- it seems to Hyun -- puts one in a deficit position.

The reader needs to be cautious in the self-assessment, individual profiles, exercises and tools cited. They yield helpful descriptive self-awareness profiles and information, not diagnostic or predictive profiles, and they are dependent on situational factors. There are many suggestions, based perhaps on many years of experience, but empirical data demonstrating their reliability, validity or efficacy are not mentioned.

Kudos to Hyun for encouraging the seeking of regular and frequent performance feedback. This is a career self-monitoring technique that is utilized far too little by all employees to help document and strengthen requests for job and salary advancement. In spite of the conceptual conundrums, this highly practical book is a must read.

Adrian Chan (Kochman Mavrelis Associates, Oak Park, IL) & Barry Mar (Management & Resources Associates, Seattle, WA)