Good Is Not Enough: And Other Unwritten Rules for Minority Professionals

by Keith R. Wyche

Book Overview

A no-nonsense guide for minorities in business who want to make it to senior management In recent decades, corporate America has gotten better at recruiting minority talent. But despite their... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591842107
• ISBN13: 9781591842101
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Portfolio
• Length: 242 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Corporate Middle Management Career Development

I purchased Good Is Not Enough upon reading of its release. Inquisitive to read what the author had to say, I voraciously devoured the book within two days. Later, I read it again after Wyche accepted a guest invitation to my online talk radio show. Wyche expressly notes that the book is written for middle management minority professionals in corporate America and the coaching, guidance and counsel in the book is apropos...if your zeal to reach executive level status so compels you to jump through all the hoops. Wyche provides practical information for anyone in middle management (Sr. Mgr, Director and VP levels) yet drops golden nuggets that most minority professionals never build into their worklife planning. The material on perception, personal branding, networking, interpersonal relations, having a mentoring and minorities not getting a second chance is education you cannot buy in a classroom. Invaluable to professionals whether you desire to climb the corporate ranks or not. It's direction for merely knowing how to play in the corporate arena and thrive. Kudos!

Good is Not Enough: and other unwritten rules for minority professionals

This is an excellent book for People of Color and non-People of Color. It is well written, concise and informative. The materials are applicable to all types of organizational cultures.

I'm Inspired!

This book was just what I needed! As a young minority professional who was perplexed by corporate culture, this book answered many of my questions and provided me with the knowledge needed to keep on trucking despite obstacles encountered in the workplace.

Mentor

I gave this book as a gift. The recipient was elated during and after reading the book. He has been able to apply many of the concepts discussed and was truly thankful.

Great career advice for young business professionals

This is a book that provides great career advice for young business professionals given as an experienced and supportive mentor might provide. Keith Wyche (and Sonia Alleyne) have written this for minorities, but I think almost all of it is fabulous advice for anyone trying to build some steam in a business career. As a middle-aged white guy, I obviously have never been a gender or racial minority, so I cannot really address those issues from their perspective. The book has twelve chapters besides its brief introduction. I think the first chapter on the importance of corporate culture is a great place to start. There are many companies you where you, as a person, will fit in and others where you won't. We all experience this. You also need to know if your goals can be met at a given company. For example, if it is a small family firm with family members in the leadership positions, don't expect that you are going to displace blood. Is it seniority based company or do they actually reward merit? You will want to know this before you invest a couple of years bringing in record sales and are told that you will have to wait your turn because there are people ahead of you in the line. If you want to be rewarded for excellent performance match yourself to a company that rewards based on actual performance. And always keep a your résumé shiny and developing possible next steps outside the company. The other chapters advise you on the importance of managing how others see you. While you can't control it, how you present yourself and what you do have a big impact on it. You are also advised on how to properly make yourself visible, when to take a lateral promotion or not, when to leave your company for a new job or not, and warned about several career killers. Wyche points out that minorities don't often get second chances once a career gets derailed. So, this chapter can be critical advice. The author also advises you to develop certain leadership skills so you can be seen as a leader. They are strategic visioning, execution, authentic leadership, flexibility and adaptability, awareness and political judgment, and personal accountability. I have seen many people of every background lack these qualities and misunderstand why they weren't given leadership positions. They blamed it on a lot of other factors other than their own lack of leadership qualities. Don't make that mistake. Wyche also talks about the vital importance of being completely prepared, how to overcome gender bias, and the critical need to keep you skills fresh and up to date. The chapter on mentors and sponsors applies to everyone, but especially to minorities. This includes the importance of giving back and becoming a mentor and sponsor once you achieve success as a business professional. The last chapter advises you to never give up. The old saying is true; many battles are lost because one side gives up just before they might have won if they had pressed the