In THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SUCCESS: Laws of Leadership for Black Women (A One World Hardcover; March 2, 2010), three high-powered, richly experienced black female executives—Elaine Meryl Brown, Marsha Haygood, and Rhonda Joy McLean—show black women at any stage in their professional lives how to tap into their true leadership potential and achieve success.
Combining hard-learned lessons with indisputable mother wit, this book contains gems of leadership principles, behaviors, and skills culled from the authors’ 90 years of collective corporate know-how. It focuses on the building blocks of true leadership—self-confidence, effective communication, collaboration, and courage—while dealing specifically with stereotypes and the perils of self-victimization. Chapters address the entire career spectrum and include:
Always Consider Yourself a VIP
Racism Is No Excuse, but It Can Be a Motivator
Aretha Was Right: R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The Values You Were Raised with in Church Aren’t Always Valued in Business
The N Word: Networking
Bring Your Brand to the Table: Blend into the Crowd While Still Being Yourself
Know How to Create and Use Power
Maintain Your Seat at the Table: Here’s What It Takes
Reach Back and Bring Others Along
As the authors point out, “Many of today’s young black women don’t realize they have the potential to move themselves forward. But leaders are not only born, they can be made. Leadership can be taught, and you can learn to unleash your leadership abilities with the help of this book.” THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SUCCESS will be an invaluable resource for black women at all stages of their careers for years to come.
About the Authors
Elaine Meryl Brown, former VP, Special Markets and Cinemax Group at HBO, is an Emmy® Award-winning writer and producer who has won numerous awards in the broadcast industry. In 2007, Brown was chosen as one of The Network Journal’s “25 Influential Black Women in Business.” A favorite of Black Enterprise, she was featured in the magazine and at their Women of Power Summit. A Wheaton College Alumni Trustee and member of the Coalition of 100 Black Women (Bergen/Passaic Chapter), Brown is also the author of two novels published by One World. She lives in New Jersey.
Marsha Haygood is a powerful motivational speaker and a dynamic career and personal coach. She is the founder of StepWise Associates, LLC, a career and personal development consultancy that represents the culmination of her 25+ years experience in human resources. She was the EVP of Human Resources and Administration at New Line Cinema and at Orion Pictures, among other companies. Haygood has won numerous awards including the YMCA Black Achievement Award and the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources Trailblazer Award. In 2005, Haygood was chosen as one of The Network Journal’s “25 Influential Black Women in Business.” She and her husband live in New York and Florida.
Rhonda Joy McLean is Deputy General Counsel of Time Inc. and former Assistant Regional Director of the Northeast Region of the Federal Trade Commission. A graduate of Yale Law School, she served as chair of its alumni association, which has more than 10,000 members, and was recently elected to its fund board of directors. In 2007, McLean was chosen as one of The Network Journal’s “25 Influential Black Women in Business.” Born in Chicago, IL and reared in Smithfield, NC, McLean is a classically trained pianist and mezzo-soprano. She performs sacred music with chorales throughout the New York metropolitan area, where she resides.
Praise for the Book
“Good counsel comes to us in myriad ways. THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SUCCESS clearly qualifies as one. It’s chock full of sound and thoughtful advice on how to build a successful business career. I commend it not just to black women, but to anyone seeking wisdom on leadership and success.”
—Richard Parsons, Chairman, Citigroup
“Finally: a small but extremely powerful book full of successful business and lifestyle rules written by women of color.”
—B. Smith, Restaurateur and Founder and Chief Creative Officer of B. Smith Enterprises, Ltd.
“Life lessons to stay in the game of life.”
—Terrie M. Williams, author of The Personal Touch: What You Really Need To Succeed in Today’s Fast-Paced Business World
“Elaine Brown, Marsha Haygood and Rhonda McLean have compiled a dynamite, relevant, wisdom-filled book
that offers real time, relevant ‘mama-isms,’ and tools for learning and exercising leadership
in competitive corporate environments. This tool is a keeper!”
—Carla A. Harris, author of Expect to Win
“THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SUCCESS is, without a doubt, one of the most comprehensive and relevant books that women can read to achieve the job success they desire. It answers the tough questions,offers experience-based insights, and outlines strategies that are sure to make you a front-runner in the race to workplace excellence.”
—Elaine McCollins Flake, Co-Pastor, Greater Allen Cathedral
