Do Women and People of Color Face Unique Challenges in Acquiring Power and Influence in Organizations Today?
Let’s begin with Frank Fountain, an African American male, who grew up on a farm in the southern United States. This within itself can create a whole set of issues. Prior to attending business school, he served in the Peace Corps where he volunteered in West Bengal, India. In 1973, Frank Fountain received his Masters of Business Administration in Finance from the Wharton School of Business.
Not so far into the future, he started his career at Chrysler Corporation as an investment analyst. He remained in the finance world for approximately twenty years until he accepted a position in the company’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C. Currently, Frank Fountain is Chrysler Corporation’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs (Executive Leadership Council, 2008).
Paula Banks, on the other hand, is an African American female from Chicago, Illinois, who started her career in 1972 as a management trainee with Sears, Roebuck and Company and did extremely well as a line manager. She advanced through store-management positions and in 1975 accepted a special human resources job. Paula Banks was named President of the Sears Foundation and after 24 years with the company and then accepted the position of President of the Amoco Foundation.
Upon Amoco’s merger with BP, she accepted a position in London which expanded her expertise into the global world arena. Currently, Paula Banks is Senior Vice President of the Global Diversity/Inclusion and Organizational Partnerships at PepsiCo, Incorporated (Executive Leadership Council, 2008).
Mapping the Strategy
For the most part, Frank Fountain attributed much of his success in acquiring corporate power and influence to referent power and expert power (Anonymous, n.d.). One can explain that referent power is prevalent with charismatic leaders. Keep in mind that charismatic leaders are ones that involve the emotions and can move the masses. Such leaders as Martin Luther King, Jr., John F.
Not so far into the future, he started his career at Chrysler Corporation as an investment analyst. He remained in the finance world for approximately twenty years until he accepted a position in the company’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C. Currently, Frank Fountain is Chrysler Corporation’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs (Executive Leadership Council, 2008).
Paula Banks, on the other hand, is an African American female from Chicago, Illinois, who started her career in 1972 as a management trainee with Sears, Roebuck and Company and did extremely well as a line manager. She advanced through store-management positions and in 1975 accepted a special human resources job. Paula Banks was named President of the Sears Foundation and after 24 years with the company and then accepted the position of President of the Amoco Foundation.
Upon Amoco’s merger with BP, she accepted a position in London which expanded her expertise into the global world arena. Currently, Paula Banks is Senior Vice President of the Global Diversity/Inclusion and Organizational Partnerships at PepsiCo, Incorporated (Executive Leadership Council, 2008).
Mapping the Strategy
For the most part, Frank Fountain attributed much of his success in acquiring corporate power and influence to referent power and expert power (Anonymous, n.d.). One can explain that referent power is prevalent with charismatic leaders. Keep in mind that charismatic leaders are ones that involve the emotions and can move the masses. Such leaders as Martin Luther King, Jr., John F.
References: and Additional Readings Anonymous (n.d.). Putting Power to Work. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from http://www.csupomona.edu/~msharifzadeh/chapter8.html Cobbs, M.; & Turnock, J., (2003). Chapter 8 - Acquiring Power. In cracking the corporate code: The revealing success stories of 32 African - American executives. New York: American Management Association. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from http://www.amanet.org/books/catalog/0814407714_ch.htm Executive Leadership Council. (2008). Excerpts from cracking the corporate code. Frank Fountain. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from http://www.elcinfo.com/news_publications_cracking_excerpts_fountain.htm Executive Leadership Council. (2008). Excerpts from cracking the corporate code. Paula Banks. Retrieved January 15, 2008, from http://www.elcinfo.com/news_publications_cracking_excerpts_banks.htm