Why I’d Rather Be White Than Black To Lead A Team
Because I don’t want to sabotage anyone’s career anymore
I learned my lesson from my last experience leading a team in a corporate environment. It was a tough one, and I vowed to no longer let myself get tempted with the ego-stroking responsibility of being at the helm of a team.
I wanted to avoid all leadership roles at all costs, even though I know I am a good leader, my experience taught me that because of racism, the people who worked for me didn’t get the promotions and development opportunities that they deserved.
It was as though whenever racists retaliated against me in the work environment, my direct reports also suffered. And that is why I no longer wanted to carry such a responsibility of leadership ever again.
It all began mid-way through my career. I started a new job and my boss told me that despite the responsibilities inherent in the role, I would not have a team to help me execute. It wasn’t much of a surprise to me. For most of my career, I had been a one-woman team with the occasional intern here and there. I wasn’t expecting to get any help in the new role either.
A few weeks later though, my boss said he had re-thought his earlier comment. Based on the scope of work, he realized that if I had a small…
