How to Succeed in Business Without Being White

Key Concepts

Racism as the “nuisance factor” 

“Black or white, tall, short or rectangular, every businessperson has personal and professional obstacles to overcome. For some it's a lack of education, for others, sexism or a financial crisis. Racism poses its own unique challenge. It is often enraging and, at best, highly frustrating to encounter it when you are simply trying to do your job, but it is not an insurmountable barrier. It may always be there, whether overtly or in more subtle forms, but to preserve my sanity, I have come to regard it as more of a nuisance than a major obstacle. I called racism “the 30 percent nuisance factor” because in my sales presentations then and now, the problem of race generally takes up 30 percent of my time.” (pp. 20-1)

“Being black means you take nothing for granted and leave no stone unturned. African Americans must use their wiles and employ every tool or weapon at their disposal to compete. There is no coasting. Having said that, you can't go into a sales meeting or a job interview or any situation in the business world with a chip on your shoulder, or with the assumption that you are sitting face-to-face with someone who hates you because of the color of your skin. If you do you will only damage yourself and be distracted from your purpose, which should always be to win. You have to give the person you are dealing with the benefit of the doubt until the doubt no longer exists.” (p. 26)

The importance of relationships and networking

“I believe that the businessperson who builds the strongest relationships wins. I have worked to build a large network of business relationships with white as well as black people because we can help each other. Now this can be a challenge because, no matter what they say, most white people still don't have a high level of comfort around black people. I can sense it at parties, even on the elevator in the Manhattan office building where Black Enterprise is a major tenant racism rears its head at all levels.” (pp. 31-2)

“One of the greatest problems with young people trying to network is that they don't grasp the concept that the most valuable form of networking cannot be done without investing in relationships. I can't tell you how many times I've been the victim of what amounts to drive-by networking, in which someone I've known for maybe ten minutes suddenly wants me to set him or her up in business, guarantee the bank loan and provide office space. Some want me to throw in a Chrysler too.” (p. 44)

Black need presence, and in Graves’ time that meant forms of conformity

“I will tell you, however, that it is important to establish a presence so that you and your business or your talents stand out. That includes an appearance that exudes confidence in class, no matter what your field of endeavor. It means appropriate business attire for your profession. In most corporate environments that means no earrings for men and no visible tattoos. If you want to be taken seriously, you have to show that you are serious about business, not just playing at it. Find another place to make your fashion statement.” (p. 38)

Takings risks

“African Americans have always had to work twice as hard to get half as much, and we have also had to take risks in order to get ahead. In that sense, the times have caught up to us. This is the age of the risk-taker. The best career strategies today still incorporate hard work. But it is a gambler's game—no place for the faint of heart or the unwise. If taking risks goes against your instincts, you need to upgrade your database.” (p. 102)

“[Keeping your head down] is a mentality left over from the days when the IBM mainframe was the undisputed king of computers, Ford always had a better idea, and corporations valued longevity. A high-profile may not guarantee that your head will be spared in the next downsizing, but the more people who see your abilities, the more opportunities you'll have.” (p. 107)

“Taking risks successfully is dependent on having the best and most recent information available. Being prepared for risks involves having the best and most up-to-date training available. If you aren't working on new skills and refining the old ones, you aren't preparing yourself to take risks that can move you ahead of the pack and the executioner. Lifelong learning is essential.” (p. 107)

Hiding challenges is a mistake for Black professionals

“Thanks to my military officer’s training, I've never been never had a problem coming off as meek. Three aren't too many meek Green Berets out there. But far too many blacks tend to cower in the corner in the corporate environment. Rather than blending in, African Americans need to be more assertive on the job. This includes abandoning the temptation to be the strong, silent type, whether male or female. According to the National Institute of Business Management, concealing your challenges may also force you to hide your successes. Furthermore, toughing out work-related problems alone can compound the time it takes you to solve them.” (p. 109)

“After all, who is more admired, the CEO who keeps a handle on things without appearing to put forth any effort or the one who takes a company in turmoil and turns it around?” (p. 109)

Quotables

“I may have been the slowest man ever to have a place on the Morgan State track team, but when it came to running after money, I was an Olympian, then and now.” (p. 10)

“Loyalty to your employer is commendable. Blind loyalty to your employer is dangerous. Layoff notices are far more prevalent than gold watches these days, so while keeping your nose to the grindstone, you have to keep your eyes open for opportunity and your mind ever alert for fresh information that will increase your value in the greater marketplace.” (p. 69)

“I had been on Kennedy’s staff only about three months when we were gathered one day in his apartment in the United Nations building. There was a political discussion going on, and Kennedy turned and asked me to get the astronaut John Glenn on the telephone immediately. Glenn was just starting to use his fame as a springboard to a political career, but he was already a rising star in the Democratic Party. I went to the telephone and asked the operator back at our office to track down Glenn. In a few minutes, she reported that he was on a raft trip on the Colorado River. When I told my boss, he looked at me in exasperation and said, ‘Well Graves, he won’t be on that raft all day, so when he gets off, I want to talk to him.’” (pp. 119-20)

On having a junkyard dog mentality: “If you don't know what that means, you've never climbed a junkyard fence and encountered a guard dog trained to get a grip on you and not let go. True entrepreneurs don't let go. If one venture fails, they try another. If one product doesn't sell, they look for a better idea. If one company official isn't buying, they look for another who will. Like the junkyard dog, they hang on no matter how much they are shaked, cursed, beaten and kicked because they stay focused on the task at hand: making money.” (pp. 123-4)

“Other people may set a goal of making money so that they can buy a fancy house, send their kids to private schools, or pay off debts. Entrepreneurs will do those things, but most are driven to make money so that they can use it to make even more. They never say, ‘I've got enough money.’ They are capitalists to the bone, and the product is not as important as the return on investment. If there is an opportunity to make more, they'll generally pursue it.” (p. 125)

“Those I recognized as having stood up for fairness and inclusion have generally done very well in their careers. Selfishness doesn't last. Uncle Toms don't last. Fearful people don't last. It's rare for the individual who only cares about himself or herself to get very far in the modern business world where relationships are so important. Those who stand up for their beliefs and values are more respected and universally seen as leaders.” (p. 249)