If someone asked you to list the keys to a successful career, how would you begin? Hard work undoubtedly makes the list. This is drilled into our heads at an early age: “There is no substitute for hard work.” Follow your passion might be recommended by a few – “Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Perseverance, determination, and humility might be a few other recommendations. And, we all know that “Success occurs at the intersection of preparation and opportunity.” However, there is one key ingredient that has the authority to render all other factors null and void. That key ingredient is access.
At a foundational level, access to basic needs is required before we can operate as contributing members of society. As a child, access to food, water, health, shelter, education and safety are prerequisites to developing a work ethic and discovering our passion. As we grow and mature, our level of access to these necessities shape our worldviews, lifestyle choices, career goals and more as we move into adulthood. In our youth, access creates our gauge for success. It tells us how to dream, what’s possible, where we belong, and where we max out.
Access continues to play a pivotal role well into our professional careers and within our personal lives. Young professionals benefit from access to mentors who can provide insight into industry knowledge and politics, networks that share job opportunities before they’re public knowledge, and advocates who take a personal stake in our progression as professionals. This access to opportunity and to relationships remains important throughout the duration of our careers. As the global workforce becomes more intertwined, networking and connectivity become invaluable.
So, how does someone get access?
When we’re young, much of our access to basic necessities and opportunities is out of our control. The socioeconomic status of the family you were born into could impact your access to healthy food, clean water, medical alternatives and shelter. The zip code you live in may impact your access to sound education and reasonable safety. These factors can influence whether our worldviews are limited or vast, even as we gain more control over the course of our lives.
At the professional level, access is dependent upon relationship building and networking. Just as in social settings, personal attributes like personality, relatability, and adaptability play a role in determining one’s ability to connect with others and create profitable, reciprocal business relationships. In very close-knit industries, likeability and reputation could weigh equally with performance when hiring and promotion decisions are being made.
However, when it comes to who is granted access in certain spaces, biases begin early.
As humans, our brains seek and find comfort in likeness. In fact, there are studies that suggest that as early as three years old, children begin to subconsciously identify with their gender group when making decisions. Similarly, in-group favoritism and early attention to racial differences can create racial biases by the age of five. While not the sole determinant, our tendency to seek similarity does impact our willingness and ability to connect. While we can become more aware and intentional about adjusting for these automatic alignments, an “off-switch” for this association within our minds has not yet been discovered.
How does this present itself in modern day corporate America?
The leadership ranks of most industries in the United States – historically and present day – are dominated by white men. With that, women and minorities who seek executive ranks in corporate America are likely faced with the additional weight of attempting to gain access to networks that are unfamiliar and perhaps – subconsciously or intentionally – resistant. Additionally, when women and minorities do obtain access to exclusive networks where other women and minorities aren’t well represented, there can be mixed feelings about how to proceed. One may begin to ask:
· Do I belong here (a symptom of imposter syndrome) or am I just a token?
· Have I alienated others within my identity group?
· Have I sold out – covering parts of myself in order to fit in?
Personally, I’ve struggled with these questions in the past. In college, I grew from an insecure teenager wearing baggy pants and cornrows with short-sighted goals to a well-rounded professional (at least that’s what I like to think). Mentors instilled in me a sense of pride in my personal appearance and in the ability to communicate effectively. Exposure to my industry of choice showed me the boundless possibilities for molding my career. Experiences taught me about my capabilities and interests, and the advocates around me did all they could to help me succeed. I gained access, and it worked in my favor.
But I suddenly began to feel guilty. As a black male, I realized that I was the beneficiary of certain levels of access that others like me may never receive. I even began to look internally and identify characteristics that I thought made me “safe” as a black man in the workplace. Having a lighter complexion, looking “clean cut”, and adapting (assimilating?) to the expectations of corporate (white) America were certainly factors that granted me the access I needed to succeed. Did I choose corporate culture over my own personal identity?
After some deep introspection and input from friends, family, and mentors, I concluded that I had never lost my personal identity, but it had evolved over the years with the influence of people I could trust. In short, as my identity changed, so did the reaction I received from the world around me. For me, that turned into different levels of access that I wouldn’t have had before. No harm, no foul.
More importantly, what I discovered during my personal journey was the responsibility I now have due to the access I’ve been granted. While it’s important that up-and-comers embody the qualities of success – work ethic, perseverance, determination, humility, etc. – those who have stumbled upon access have a responsibility to share it with others. We also cannot downplay the important role that access plays in providing opportunities for success.
I imagine that access isn’t often mentioned as a requirement for success because, as mentioned earlier, it’s not something that’s always within our realm of control. But without acknowledging the important role that access plays in our professional trajectory, the lack of access that holds women and minorities back may continue to go largely unaddressed.
Without question there is serious value to possessing qualities that will drive you on the path to success. However, there are levels of access – from the most basic to the professional and social– that also play a vital role in how we determine and aim for success. Those who have been granted access that may seem restricted to others can bridge gaps that could open doors to a new standard of equality and equity. Embrace the access and move responsibly.
