By: Dr. Lisa Marie Lee
The Illusion of Scarcity: How Systemic Racism Pits Us Against Each Other
The workplace should be a space for growth, collaboration, and collective success. Yet too often, us Black professionals find ourselves at odds with one another instead of working together. This isn't because we naturally distrust each other—it's because the system is designed to divide us.
Capitalism thrives on competition, and for Black professionals, that competition is rigged from the start. We're led to believe there's only room for a few of us at the top, making us suspicious of one another rather than the real problem: a system that wasn't built for us to succeed collectively.
The statistics confirm what many of us already know—Black professionals are forced into an environment where gatekeeping, workplace bias, and a "crab in a barrel" mentality thrive:
Black employees are 23% less likely to receive promotions than white employees.
Only 3.2% of executive or senior-level positions in corporate America are held by Black professionals.
Black professionals are 40% less likely than white professionals to have a workplace sponsor or mentor, which limits advancement opportunities.
With such limited access to leadership, Black professionals often internalize the idea that there's only room for one or two of us at a time. This creates the illusion that other Black professionals are competition instead of allies.
The Gatekeeping Trap: When Survival Tactics Become Self-Sabotage
When you perceive someone encroaching on your territory, you transform into a vigilant gatekeeper, fiercely guarding what you believe is rightfully yours.
Instead of pulling each other up, some of us become enforcers of the very system that holds us back—questioning each other's qualifications, refusing mentorship, or making other Black colleagues "prove themselves" in ways we wouldn't demand of white coworkers.
It's not a personal failing—it's a survival tactic. But we must recognize that survival is not the same as liberation.
The Conformity Conundrum: How Capitalism Stifles Black Excellence
Corporations strategically foster division among workers, reaping substantial profits from internal strife while obscuring the fundamental issue: workplace hierarchies are meticulously engineered to marginalize and disempower the workforce.
This deliberate fragmentation serves as a potent distraction, diverting attention from the systemic inequities embedded within corporate structures and impeding collective action that could challenge the status quo.
For example:
🚩 65% of Black professionals say they feel pressure to conform to white corporate culture to advance.
🚩 Black executives have faced negative consequences for addressing racial concerns or supporting other Black employees.
🚩 Black professionals who do not code-switch feel they are less likely to be promoted or viewed as professional.
Corporations reward assimilation while punishing authenticity. Black professionals who challenge the system—who advocate for more inclusion, who call out racism—are often sidelined, while those who align with whiteness are protected.
This is not by accident. Executives fear the day when Black professionals stop competing with one another and start collaborating. Because when we stop viewing each other as enemies, we will see who the real problem is: them.
The executives. The systems they uphold. The policies that keep Black professionals at the bottom while keeping a select few just comfortable enough to defend the status quo.
We are taught to believe that "playing the game" will protect us, but in reality, it only isolates us from each other and keeps the cycle going.
Breaking the Cycle: From Competition to Collaboration
It's time to unlearn the fear that makes us see each other as threats instead of allies. No one is coming to save us—but we can save each other.
1. Mentorship & Sponsorship: Lifting As We Climb
Black professionals who secure leadership roles must actively mentor and uplift others. If we don't, the cycle continues. Mentorship isn't just about career advice—it's about creating a support network that can withstand systemic pressures.
2. Challenging Workplace Bias: Strength in Numbers
Call out tokenism when we see it. Having one Black person in leadership is not diversity. By collectively addressing bias, we create a safer environment for all Black professionals to thrive.
3. Creating Our Own Tables: The Power of Ownership
Instead of vying for scraps at their exclusionary table, we must forge our own path to prosperity. Black entrepreneurship is rising but struggling to be profitable:
- Only 49% of black owned businesses are profitable with a revenue of 100,000 or more, while 11.3% of all U.S. businesses, totaling about 3.7 million businesses are black owned.
- However, Black entrepreneurs receive less than 1% of venture capital funding.
This means we must support Black businesses and networks as aggressively as white institutions ignore them. OWNERSHIP IS POWER.
The Collaborative Advantage
Research shows that collaboration, not competition, leads to greater success:
- Collaborative strategies make businesses twice as likely to outgrow their competitors and 60% less likely to underperform.
- Implementing collaborative processes has increased contributions to enhanced wellbeing, engagement, and productivity within the workforce.
When we collaborate, we tap into our collective strengths, experiences, and networks. We create a support system that can withstand systemic challenges and push for meaningful change.
A Call to Action: Redefining Success Together
The path forward is clear: we must redefine success not as individual achievement, but as collective advancement. Here's how we start:
☞ Build Black Professional Networks: Create and join organizations that focus on uplifting Black professionals across industries.
☞ Advocate for Systemic Change: Use our collective voice to push for policies that address racial bias in hiring, promotion, workplace operations, and funding.
☞ Invest in Black Education: Support programs that prepare the next generation of Black professionals for leadership roles.
☞ Celebrate Black Excellence: Amplify the successes of Black professionals and businesses to counter negative stereotypes and inspire others.
☞ Practice Transparency: Share salary information, negotiation tactics, and career strategies openly with other Black professionals.
Remember, your success is not a threat to mine—it's a stepping stone for our collective rise. By rejecting the scarcity mindset and embracing collaboration, we can create a new paradigm where Black excellence is not the exception, but the rule.
We are not each other's enemies. We are each other's greatest allies in the fight for true equality and representation in the workplace. Let's act like it. ✊🏿
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