In today’s environment, white males are increasingly feeling as if they are being personally blamed for the fact that there is still a significant wage gap between whites and Blacks and men and women.
This has — in typically convoluted fashion — led to a backlash against affirmative action and other equity programs. Singling out white-male-dominated upper management will not contribute to ensuring pay equity. Therefore, the practical question is: “What actions can women and minorities proactively take to substantially lessen the salary gap?”
We each thought we were alone among professionals who had made it to executive-level positions without asking for more money upon being offered a new position. Both of us felt disappointed in ourselves for this because, in general, we are assertive and have no qualms about clearly stating our opinions, decisions and solutions to problems to both males and females. However, we were not showing the same assertiveness when it came to our own needs. Are we really that different from other women and minorities?
To determine this, one of us (Thompson-Stacy), decided to personally interview women deans, vice presidents and presidents at two-year campuses in a Midwestern state to identify strategies they had used to gain these positions.
