Product Description

In one of the first in-depth studies to focus on minorities who have made it to the top echelons of corporate America, Breaking Through examines the crucial connection between corporate culture, career development, and the advancement of people of color. The often surprising conclusions drawn by authors Thomas and Gabarro represent important milestones both for the study of organizational practice and for minorities planning their own course of professional achievement.

Breaking Through profiles minority executives at three different firms who encountered-and conquered-barriers throughout their careers. It then contrasts their successes at the same companies with the experiences of white executives who reached upper management, and with white and minority middle managers coming to grips with stalled careers. From the compelling stories a distinct pattern emerges in the way minorities advance. The message is clear and startling: the path that leads minorities to the top is fundamentally different from the route followed by their white peers. Here are the determining factors-both individual and organizational-that correspond to the advancement of minority executives to the highest levels.

Breaking Through is an unflinching look at the very real obstacles that await minorities in a workforce whose leadership is still predominantly white. Pathways to success do exist for minorities, say Thomas and Gabarro, and breakthroughs can happen-if individuals and organizations understand the roles they play in creating the opportunities that enable minority executives to reach the top.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #834781 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 347 pages

From Booklist
Against all odds, a few minority executives break through to the highest executive levels in corporate America. The aim of Thomas and Gabarro is to explain the processes of growth and advancement that produce minority executives by focusing on three companies that have been successful in developing people of color from entry level to executive. Concealing the identity of those companies in different industries, the authors examine both the individual and the organizational factors influencing minority promotion. Along with a detailed explanation of their research and findings, the authors offer lessons for minority aspirants as well as guidelines for corporations that want to develop minority executives more effectively. Advice to individuals includes building a network of developmental relationships, analyzing the record on minority promotions of a prospective employer, and understanding that race matters but that it alone doesn't determine fate. Their final counsel is that the road to the executive suite must be worth the price extracted from all individuals, especially minorities. Mary Whaley

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, July 12, 1999
"Provides a wealth of useful information for those seeking insights regarding how these executives have managed to break away."

The Boston Globe, May 23, 1999
"A massive primer for professionals seeking to understand success and employers who wish to foster diversity in their upper ranks."

Customer Reviews

This is destined to be a classic management text
This is destined to become one of the classic management texts. I found the authors treatement of the subject matter to be insightful and well thought out. This is a must for any person of color who is wondering why it's taking them so long to move into the executive level. As a trainer I will be using this as one of my texts, and I plan on sending a number of copies to my friends.

Enjoyed it
I just finished reading Breaking Through and learned quite a bit. Recommend it to you. I wish the subject of leadership, and how to properly use it to get results on the job, was addressed more. I recommend you also get a copy of another book that addresses this issue and is very applicable to the subject of minorities as leaders: "The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills." It's at Amazon too.

A Must Read!
Breaking Through is a multifaceted book that speaks to a spectrum of audiences: the business leader committed to creating a diverse workplace; the human resource professional charged with designing and implementing diversity initiatives; the minority professional aspiring to break through.

This book sheds light on the complex career dynamics presented to minority professionals in corporate America. As an aspiring minority professional, I took away valuable strategies, as well as pitfalls, for achieving my career goals.

The book is a balance of compelling empirical evidence and real-life examples. The depth of analysis makes for an engaging and enlightening reading experience.

Breaking Through will serve as a personal professional reference guide and I am sure that it will become an invaluable resource throughout my career.