Book Review: Black Faces in White Places

"There is always something you can learn from others." from Strategy #5

Stars: 3/5

Black Faces in White Places contains ten strategies that are grouped into four distinct categories:

1) Learning the Game. This is the foundation. It is made up of three strategies designed for self-examination, finding your purpose in life, seeking broad exposure & diverse experiences and demonstrating excellence.

2) Playing the Game. Once you've established your foundation, you move on to relationship-centered activities. The three strategies here are: Build Solid and Diverse Relationships, Wisdom of Others and Strength in Numbers

3) Mastering the Game. This part consists of an ongoing cycle of two complementary strategies: Intrapreneurship and Entrepreneurship.

4) Redefining the Game. Redefining the game is about "...facilitating positive, lasting, widespread change." The two strategies are: Synergy & Scale, Give Back Generously.

If you're a person of color looking for a handbook on how to navigate white corporate America, this is not the book; at least not in its entirety. I found the first two parts, Learning the Game and Playing the Game somewhat stimulating but the latter two seemed more applicable to entrepreneurship, having an entrepreneurial mindset, affecting change in the community and giving back.

Although `Black Faces...' didn't hold my interest from cover to cover, there is always something you can learn from others. No matter what your station is in life, something good can be gleaned from this book.

One final point. The authors chose to - and it's their prerogative to do so - imprint their personal narrative throughout the text by: providing a semi-gratuitous recount of Randal Pinkett's victory on Donald Trump's The Apprentice, providing a glimpse into their religious beliefs and correlating their "Black Faces..." game plan to Kwanzaa.


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