The Uncommon Executive: Breakthrough to the C-suite as a Minority

I wrote this book to help aspiring executives, particularly those from under-represented backgrounds, grow from managers to executives.

I've had hundreds of career growth conversations through my coaching work and with my direct reports. I've seen many types of career journeys play out among friends, former colleagues, and classmates. Over and over, one of the most challenging and emotional topics that come up in my career coaching conversations is how to break through from middle management into executive levels - VP or C-Suite.

Many hardworking and intelligent people see their careers stall once they reach middle management, and the same topics come up repeatedly in conversation:

• "I feel stuck. I've been in this job for years without getting promoted. What am I doing wrong?"
• "The women I see at the top have abrasive, aggressive styles, and I don't want to be like them. I can't find anyone I want to role model at the executive level."
• "I'm swamped and nearing burnout right now in middle management. How can I even think about the VP role?"
• "Do I need to get an MBA or a Brand Name resume? Do I need to golf and know football?
• "I don't know how you did it. How do I balance family and getting into leadership? It feels just impossible for me where I am."

This book provides a path to executive leadership through that doubt and confusion. First, we'll look at how to adopt an executive mindset and develop skills that are critical for success. Then we'll discuss off-the-beaten-path (e.g., not white-male-centric) ways to demonstrate executive potential and land stretch assignments. We'll dive into the challenges minorities tend to face more often: overcoming biases and stereotypes, finding a role model, and developing their superpower. And finally, we'll wrangle with how we influence luck and create opportunities with sponsorship, networking, and making smart job changes.

Some Topics we cover in the book include:

• The Trifecta of Affinity, Confirmation, and Negativity Biases
• The Executive Mindset
• Build Teams like You Build Products: Test and Iterate.
• Delegate When You Don't Know the Answer.
• Effective Communication at Scale.
• Stay Calm During Crises.
• Building momentum: Learn, Outperform, Standout, Repeat.
• Win Performance Reviews.
• Learn the Work of Other Functions; Handle a Crisis or Take a General Manager Role.
• Challenges of Getting Stretch Assignments.
• Building Trust & Relationships.
• Finding Professional Commonalities
• Combat Cultural Stereotypes
• Influencing Peers
• Managing the Board of Directors.
• Find and voice your Superpower
• Shed Cultural Values That No Longer Serve You.
• Find Role Models Through Building a Mosaic of Influences.
• Sense of Belonging
• Tailor Your Executive Style to the Environment.
• Finding the Right Company Culture
• Timing Within the Company
• Family Growth vs. Career Growth
• Getting Sponsorship

While this book is written with a minority aspiring executive in mind, it is relevant for non-minority aspiring executives, people who are executives today, executive coaches, and DEI professionals.