The term networking refers to the ability and willingness to extend professional avenues and advice to colleagues and other similarly related individuals in efforts to advance professional potential. The application of this concept would seem to be a natural motivation for anyone, as people generally tend to look out for the well being of those who they know, trust, and are close to.   Consequently, you don’t have to look very hard to see how cultural groups like the Jewish, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Hispanic populations employ professional networking in their communities.  Entire business ventures and highly successful corporations are often dominated by closely knit circles of personally affiliated individuals, who often share the same ethnic group.  However that same dynamic is not so apparent when looking at the functionality of Black professionalism in today’s world.  We not only lack in supporting our own businesses, we also often fail to extend the same benefits of success to colleagues and younger generations who share our culture. 

It would seem that the efforts of networking would be directed in a greater capacity by, and toward those who need, and thus would potentially benefit more from professional connections.  Simply put, those who can offer connections and belong to a group needing connections should help those in that group who need connections.  Moreover, the positioning of Blacks at the lower end the U.S. wealth disparity index, and their high standing when considering unemployment and incarceration figures would suggest that Blacks would be more open and willing to network for themselves and their colleagues, as their professional outlook is dismal in comparison with other U.S. ethnic groups.  However, when looking closely at trends that represent such scenarios, the rationale seems to contradict the reality. It’s difficult to truly gauge the effect of networking through numbers. However, in analyzing certain figures which relate to networking capabilities, there are certain conclusions that can be drawn. 

The foundation of success in the U,S, is clearly education.  Consequently, networking plays a large role in dictating who benefits from academic opportunities.   A 2004 article published by The Economist, reveals that legacies, or relatives of alumni, comprise 10%-15% of the freshman class of Ivy League institutions, and represent even larger numbers in schools like Notre Dame (up to 23%).  Legacy admission is also highly apparent at public institutions such as the University of Virginia.  Additionally, according to the U.S. Census Buerau,  figuring numbers for this decade, roughly 12% of Blacks even attend college in comparison to  75% of Whites. These statistics would also suggest a translation into the professional world, as many graduates of institutions generally extend opportunities to colleagues and personal affiliates. One argument against nepotism and extended networking comes in the form of perceiving such help as a detriment to hard work.  This is understandable. However if you look at the modern U.S. market, many family-owned and operated businesses such as Wal-mart, Ford Motor Co., Samsung, and many others, are far from struggling, and overtly staffed with personally related executives.  Quite obviously, other ethnic groups are not shy in their successful efforts to take care of their own. 

Conversely, we can see a contrasting mindset in the attitudes of Black professionals.  Many Blacks who have found success often see their accomplishments not as a platform to benefit others of similar backgrounds, but as a pedestal that separates them as “Black elite”.  Perhaps it is fear of the “Crabs in a Bucket” syndrome or the application of a “pay your own dues” mentality.   In any case, Blacks don’t seem to celebrate the potential for the dispersing of success the way individuals of other cultures do.  In fact, blatant helping hands are often seen as taboo or detriments to progress in regards to Black professionalism. There are plenty of Black professional networks such NABJ, NABA, NSBE and others. Additionally, organizations like the NAACP and Black Greek letter organizations do offer networking capabilities and support systems for Blacks in their career aspirations.  However, the irony in these networks exists in their dependence on initial success to be effective.  As Blacks professionals, our networking benefits seem to demand an improbable prerequisite of academic prowess in order to simply nurture professional progress, rather than initiate it.

This is evidenced in one case by an article featured in Black Enterprise, titled Next in line, But Don’t Say Nepotism.  The editorial focuses on Keli Coleman, VP of GlobalHue, an advertising company founded by her father.  The article highlights and celebrates her rise to success that includes a venerable education and an ambitious professional acumen, which in no part is a direct result to her relation to the founder of the company she works for. Commenting on her rise to the top she states, “Yes. I am the only family member who works for the company. I attribute my success to my parents depositing the seeds of entrepreneurship and creativity into me at an early age, enabling me to succeed at all levels.”   She then goes on to explain her gradual escalation in the company and continues to offer some general advice to up and coming professionals.  

While dedication and creativity are clearly nothing to put to shame, it is somewhat perplexing and concerning to realize that the daughter of the founder of a successful Black owned company is only coincidentally employed as a result of a statistically unlikely path that would lead anyone to success.  Personal relationships shouldn’t be a clear cut path to a good job in any case. Additionally, it is understandable to require   a mindset of diligence and ambition, before giving any affiliate, related or not, a professional opportunity. However, you would be extremely hard pressed to find a Jewish, Korean, or Italian controlled corporation with only one family member employed, and that reality doesn’t seem to be hurting their success.

Why are we the only ones who see helping hands as negatives? Why do we only celebrate individual success and perseverance through societal obstacles, when other cultures are in effect working together to impart them?  Perhaps years of institutionalized self opposition have resulted in this detrimentally competitive mentality that we seem to uphold.  Whatever the case, if Blacks in the U.S. ever want to truly ascend to our potential levels of professional aptitude, we need to start working together in a more efficient manner; using what success we do encounter as tools to benefit each other, rather than barometers that separate us through status.