Working While Black: The Black Person's Guide to Success in the White Workplace (Black Person's Guides) [Paperback]

Michelle T. Johnson (Author), Julianne Malveaux (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2004 | Series: Black Person's Guides

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 to 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.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Johnson, an employment attorney, draws on her personal and professional experiences, as well as those of friends and clients, to offer this guide for black people in workplaces dominated by whites. Acknowledging that in an ideal world such a guide wouldn't be necessary, Johnson highlights the particular issues faced by black Americans, from feelings of loneliness and isolation to concerns about fair treatment. She posits what she calls a "15 percent difference" between blacks and whites that occasionally accounts for friction and explores the contradictory opinions held by most whites and blacks about the need for affirmative action and efforts to develop a color-blind society and workforce. The book aims to increase the reader's awareness of the need to develop strategies for selecting favorable work environments and for getting and keeping a job. Johnson offers advice on the importance of grooming and using appropriate language, making alliances (fitting in without selling out), considering legal options when problems arise, and being healthy and happy on the job and away from the job. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"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

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Lawrence Hill Books (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556525109
• ISBN-13: 978-1556525100
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,152,800 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michelle T. Johnson is a Kansas City area native who is a diversity consultant, speaker and writer, as well as a former journalist and former employment attorney of several years. Ms. Johnson, a certified mediator, is the author of articles and three books on diversity, including "Working While Black" published in 2004 by Chicago Review Press as a career guide for African-Americans employees in the workplace, which has been mentioned and reviewed in several national magazines. Ms. Johnson's third book "The Diversity Code: Unlock the Secrets to Making Differences Work in the Real World" was published September 2010 by AMACOM, the publishing arm of the American Management Association.

Additionally, Ms. Johnson has been a commentator on National Public Radio ("NPR") and has had a diversity column in the Business section of the Kansas City, Missouri's daily newspaper since 2008 called "Diversity Diva" along with being the Diversity blogger for the Human Resources IQ website out of New York City. Ms. Johnson has spoken on diversity issues and conducted diversity workshops for several organizations, businesses and colleges across the country, including Wal-Mart Headquarters in Bentonville, Ark.; H&R Block, Hallmark Cards, and several municipalities. More information on Ms. Johnson can be found at www.MichelleTJohnson.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Review of "Working While Black", January 24, 2004

By 

B. Robins (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Working While Black: The Black Person's Guide to Success in the White Workplace (Black Person's Guides) (Paperback)

Equal parts handbook, travelogue and self-help guide (in the best sense of the term), Johnson's book, "Working While Black" is must-have for any African-American employee in a predominantly white working environment.

With the aid of anecdotal evidence via oral history, Johnson brings to light issues of the working world that many blacks know but don't understand. Her use of short stories helps her illustrate the complexities that confront blacks in corporate settings with a brutal honesty that's been sorely absent from books by her peers.

Taking on issues of personal appearance, career paths, communication skills, networking and hiring practices, Johnson pulls no punches during her honest and thought-provoking examination of what it means to be black in corporate America.

Johnson also offers the reader way to identify with those whose stories are shared in her book. Issues of personality, family backgroung, cultural perspective and ambition are tackled here, too.

Johnson pointedly denies being an "expert" on racial/employment matters (a bit of candor refreshing in our racially-charged society). She seeks only to offer the benefit of her experience as a seasoned legal professional and to provide readers with the tools to make themselves aware of dynamics in their own places of business--from front desk to boardroom.

This book is for the young and the mature, the thriving and the disenfranchised. A perfect gift for anyone at any stage of their career. There are lessons here to be learned by everyone.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspirational read........., August 3, 2009

By 

DJohnson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Working While Black: The Black Person's Guide to Success in the White Workplace (Black Person's Guides) (Paperback)

"Working While Black" is definitely a must read for inspiring professionals. The book outlines real life scenarios and it couples narratives to the way the workplace really relates to African Americans. I was personally inspired by the book. The book was so motivational that I not only periodically re-read it, but I highly encourage it as required reading in my mentorship programs. I have recommended the book to several of my friends whom all work in environments with small minority presence, and they all have thanked me for the inspiration the book has brought to their lives.

My personal experience with the book came after my second entry into college. I had initially graduated with a business degree but found myself troubled in the workplace. I was troubled by a lack of confidence. After enrolling in a second degree in Electrical Engineering, I found life after engineering school very challenging. Although I was competent, my views were not taken seriously. Reading Michelle Johnson's book brought a few skills to the light. I personally attribute a promotion at my first job post reading this book as a major contributor to my recent success in the workplace. Most importantly her book encourages intelligent dialogue, and understanding of how we communicate words. The book is detailed even down to a level of how we intelligently communicate emails. The book expands on things that we take for granted in the workplace, but are highly important in our success. My favorite portion of the book was Michelle's mention of holding on to your identity, while not posing or displaying a form or image of intimidation. I use to struggle with wearing my earring to work, and would always toggle between taking out my earring while at work because I thought it would portray a hood-like image. Michelle's book encouraged me to accept my image and hold on to things that are part of my character. Her book even goes into things as simple as appropriate conversations in the workplace that were on point. Understanding what conversations attract controversy, and what conversations bring good dialogue are relevant to anyone quest in image building. My most complimentary point I believe is the universal message. Although the book is titled "Working while black", the book outlines many techniques that are applicable to your success in the workplace regardless of what race you are.

As a whole this is a good read.

I feel very comfortable endorsing this book as one of the best tools available for advancing personal development in the workplace.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, October 11, 2008

By 

T. Gholar (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Working While Black: The Black Person's Guide to Success in the White Workplace (Black Person's Guides) (Paperback)

This book is informative and funny. It is a great book for strategies to survive the work place that is told in a way that will make you laugh and think. The best part about the book is that the author addresses problems of being black in the work place and just the problems of being in the work place. This book can help anyone having work problems.