Ella Bell, Dartmouth: Right Before Your Eyes: Observations as to Why Conversations on Gender Differences Don’t Tell the Full Story

The following are my notes from Bell's presentation at the HBS Gender & Work Conference, February 28 2013

Went by Robin [Ely]’s instructions to “think about giving a Ted talk” – not a traditional research paper, her version of a Ted Talk [images of professional women of different colors flashing in the background]

Right before your eyes: A retrospect on research and what we need to start thinking about

Ella and Stella Nkomo wrote a book in 2001 about differences between and among Black women and White women; deep void in managerial literature on African-American women, rendered invisible. 2001 was not a good year for Black women in business and leadership roles. Black women managers faced sexism intertwined with racism; whereas White women may face a glass ceiling that at least allowed them to be seen and gave them something to shatter, Black women face a concrete wall, rendering them helpless to break it, invisible to managers’ and others' eyes, and excluded from informal networks.

4.2% Fortune 500 companies headed by women, one Black woman. Really small numbers of African American women in managerial/professional category; Asian and White women more likely than Hispanic/Latino and Black women to work in managerial/professional category.

Brilliant study of race, gender, and class: when considering assets minus debts (not income):
  • Single Black women have median wealth of $100
  • Single Hispanic women have median wealth of $120
  • Single White women have median wealth of $41,500
  • Single Black men have median wealth of $7,900
  • Single Hispanc men have median wealth of $9,730
  • Single White men have median wealth of $43,800
  • White couples have median wealth of $167,500
  • Single Black mothers and Hispanic mothers have median wealth of $0

Why is this such an important study? Most women are in jobs with no health insurance, benefits, etc.; many women of color are invisible, not even considered in HR discussions of corporate pipeline.

Bell runs a corporation called Ascent, teaches leadership development for all women; companies send mostly White women because they don’t have any minority women; why are minority women missing?

Women of color believe performance is key to advancement and don't build relationships. They're waiting for managers to come to them, and to get noticed for their peak performance (Hispanic, Black & Asian women do this). Example of a meeting at Tuck, run by white men. Brilliant corporate women were invited, but huddled in the corner, afraid of not knowing what to say.

Multicultural women are missing:

  • Sponsors in their organizations [someone who mentors and advocates for them].
  • Vital critical assignments [like an actor's “break through role”].
Gender concepts are not race neutral, race concepts are not gender neutral. Intersectionality: different levels of privilege, subordination. Needs to be conceptualized by class, sexuality, etc. White men are viewed as individuals, others as members of lots of different groups, as problems outside of the norm.

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