Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling：Career Strategies for Asians

You'reeducatedandambitious.Sure,thehoursarelongandcorporatepoliticsareabane,butyoufocusongettingthejobdone,confidentthatyouwillberewardedinthelongrun.Yet,somehow,yourhardworkisn'tpayingoff,andyouwatchfromthesidelinesasyourcolleaguesgetpromoted.Thosewhomakeittomanagementpositionsinthisintenselycompetitivecorporateenvironmentseemtounderstandanunwrittencodeformarketingandaligningthemselvespolitically.Furthermore,yourstrongworkethicandrawintelligenceweresufficientwhenyoustartedatthefirm,butnowthey'reexpectingyoutobearainmakerwhocanbringinclientsandexertinfluenceonothers.Thetopofthecareerladderseemsbeyondyourreach.Perhapsyou'vehitthebambooceiling.Forthelastdecade,AsianAmericanshavebeenthefastestgrowingpopulationintheUnitedStates.AsianscomprisethelargestcollegegraduatepopulationinAmerica,andareoftenreferredtoastheModelMinority-buttheycontinuetolagintheAmericanworkplace.IfqualifiedAsiansareenteringtheworkforcewiththerightcredentials,whyaren'ttheymakingittothecornerofficesandcorporateboardrooms?CareercoachJaneHyunexplainsthatAsianshavenotbeenabletobreakthebambooceilingbecausemanyareunabletoeffectivelymanagetheculturalinfluencesshapingtheirindividualcharacteristicsandworkplacebehavior--factorsthatareoftenatoddswiththecompetenciesneededtosucceedatwork.TraditionalAsianculturalvaluescanconflictwithdominantcorporatecultureonmanylevels,resultinginacostlygapthatindividualsandcompaniesneedtobridge.Thesubtle,unconsciousbehavioraldifferencesexhibitedbyAsianemployeesareoftenmisinterpretedbytheirnon-Asiancounterparts,resultinginlostcareeropportunitiesanduntappedtalent.Neverbeforehasthisdichotomybeensothoroughlyexplored,andinthisinsightfulbook,Hyunusescasestudies,interviewsandanecdotestoidentifytheissuesandprovidestrategiesforAsianAmericanstosucceedincorporateAmerica.ManagerswilllearnhowtosupporttheAsianmembersoftheirteamstorealizetheirfullpotentialandtomaintaintheircompetitiveedgeintoday'smulticulturalworkplace.