Dear BI Career Consultants:

How do I get my colleagues to respect the research/work that I do on African American issues?

Dr. Freddie Sandipher
Assistant professor of English, University College
University of  Cincinnati
President of the National
Council on Black American Affairs.

We are fortunate that the research of many of our colleagues has been well received. We are not breaking new ground. The essence of gaining respect for one's work on African American issues is to uncover the truth, write it well and let your colleagues know about it. There are some strategies that will assist your efforts.
If you are in the planning stage of your research, you might try the following strategies to increase the respect your work will receive. First, discuss with your colleagues the research you intend to pursue. Their experiences may be helpful, and they can direct you to others whose interests are related to yours.  Later, when the project has been completed, colleagues you have consulted can become your strongest supporters. A second possible strategy is a collaborative project with others who have established reputations in the field. In addition to the reputation a colleague might lend, a collaboration can add different perspectives and networking possibilities. Each of the strategies above is a way of opening up the project so that interest is developed as the research unfolds.
If the project has been completed, there are other ways of bringing attention and respect to your work. Use the informal opportunities within your institution to present your work to your colleagues. Colloquia, brown bag lunches, and faculty seminars are regular institutional opportunities.  Plan to present your research at regional and national conferences. Know your work thoroughly. Remember that you are building a reputation and creating a following. Colleagues may not make laudatory statements, but if the work was well researched and competently presented, they will be present in your next audience. Don't be afraid to show your enthusiasm for the project. Sometimes the mask of objectivity we wear comes close to appearing to be boredom.
The real key to gaining respect for your work is to do the excellent work you set out to do. The last thing you want is to complete your work and to be insecure about it. Once the project has been completed, it will develop a life of its own.  It becomes public property. The research may acquire unanticipated audiences. You cannot change it and you don't want to apologize for it.