Academics and Corporate World?
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Anonymous
Key word is "tend", given similar options.... |
Anonymous
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I was thinking about the bamboo ceiling after reading this article in the Washington Post -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/author-n-va-native-helen-wan-on-the-bamboo-ceiling/2014/02/12/89cc0b76-5151-11e3-9e2c-e1d01116fd98_story.html |
Anonymous
Where have YOU been working recently? Are you an Indian working in India or Chinese working in China that you only see your own kind? White people USED to hire mostly whites as that was the majority of the U.S. work force. But things have change, Buddy. White people hire ALL difference races. Example: Microsoft hiring the Indian CEO. FYI, Microsoft is 35% Asian. How did all the Asians get here? The white people hired Asians and now the Asians are hiring all their Asian friends and bringing them to the U.S. (along with every family member three times removed). All Indian groups are VERY prevalent at Microsoft - they don't hire Americans or Europeans. Ever look at the make-up of Tata (Indian company similar to US GE)? It is nearly 100% Indian - no whites. Sony, Toyota, etc... are not recruiting to move Americans to Japan and Korea like U.S. are recruiting abroad because they only hire within their race. I know many Asians and they do strive to keep the power within their exclusive group. |
Anonymous
So I guess your answer has proved the OPs theory wrong. Asians are prominent in leadership roles and not just happy little worker bee roles that only did well academically in school and they are not lacking key skills and creativity to reach the top of the ladder in the corporate world. Thanks! |
Anonymous
This is OP. I just came back on to the forum and read all the comments. To the posters who said that the thread is started by white insecure person, please let me clarify. I am a first generation Asian myself working my butt off in a corporate world (to be more specific- Indian). I am very proud of the achievements of Satya Nadella and other Asians making their mark in corporate world. I started the thread in part due to the frustration of working in corporate world with a double walled glass ceiling. No matter how much better I am at my work, I have to work 2 to 3 times harder to get the same recognition. I push my kids to excel in everything they do and that includes academics as well as extracurricular activities because I know that the road is going to be equally hard for them. Then I hear whining and complaining about being a tiger mom. Is this insecurity or what? |
Anonymous
| Everyone thinks they have to work twice as hard, lady. This forum, at least the early thread tells you there is more to rising to the top than just smarts. |
Anonymous
You are right about that! The top people are smart but not necessarily THE smartest. As one pp said, top workers know how and are willing to take risks, are effective communicators and can build relationships and trust. I feel you, 11:37 who said, "No matter how much better I am at my work, I have to work 2 to 3 times harder to get the same recognition." It's quite sad that with your self contrived superior intellectualism you don't realize you are actually not that smart. Do some self reflection - it's seems like a lack of soft skills is what may be holding you back - perhaps too little play as a child???? As for your kids, step away from Kumon, chess club, robotics, violin lessons and let your kids PLAY.  Send them out to the park and let them learn how to organize a pick up game of football or build a fort in the woods! Your kids will have the same challenges you do if you focus their time on academics and structured extracurricular activities such that they don't have the interpersonal experiences as children. They too will have to work 2-3 times harder - do you really want that for them?
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Anonymous
Don't PUSH them - instill values and ethics as well as an internal love of learning! If you continue to push them, I hope you have good insurance for counselling. |
Anonymous
Yes, OP, you and your children will always have to work twice as hard and be 2-3 times better than their counterparts to get ahead. This is a fact of life as an Asian/S.Asian in America. I know we were always taught that all you have to do is work hard and you WILL get ahead, but this was our parents' idealized dream of America. They worked hard and accomplished a lot, but most did not expect to accomplish CEO or high rank corporate positions. They excelled in the ways they could. BUT, they thought that we would not have as hard of time as they did. They believed we are Americans, we will not have the language and cultural barriers they had, that we would be more readily accepted in society. So, yes, it can be a bit of a shock to be all grown up and having done everything we were taught we were supposed to do to succeed and to see that the path is muddled with our own similar struggles. No need to feel insecure, just time to adjust the lenses. |
Anonymous
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If you need to work 2-3 times harder, you are working the wrong skills!
Perhaps the problem is trying to use Asian focus skills in America! Learn more American skills and see if there is improvement in your working abilities. |
Anonymous
Could you give examples of Asian focus skills and American focus skills? |
Anonymous
As I read your post, I couldn't help but wonder if you're lacking in some of the soft skills. Or, are you simply not making connections with the right people? A lot of success in the workplace comes from WHO you know not what you know. A gentleman told me that when I was still in college over 20 years ago, and I've come to discover it is TRUE. Yes, you will have to kiss a few rear ends. It's not fair but it is reality. |
Anonymous
| Also, find a mentor or two. And I can't help but wonder if your problem is your gender as opposed to your nationality. |
Anonymous
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"No matter how much better I am at my work..."
Maybe the poster is delusional and their work really isn't the cat meow or the gold standard in the group. Maybe they are too assertive or not assertive enough. Maybe they don't work well as part of a team. Those are skills academically-smart Asians lack. |
Anonymous
It might be a combination of all of the above- immigrant working mom of color with an accent. Could it get any worse, lol? I am in no way delusional in terms of my skills. I am very well aware of the things that I do good versus lack. People often talk about soft skills. But soft skills vary by environment. In american corporate world, soft skills mean being able to communicate in their style, build relationships by hanging out for drinks after work. Be comfortable in their topic of discussion. Are these skills so easy to get when you grew up in a different culture? Anyway, just wanted to put my thoughts out there. Thank you to posters who commented without derogatory remarks. |