Corporate Executives Say More Minorities in the C-Suite is Good for Business

But African-American women are having a tough time breaking through

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Senior corporate executives who
participated in a recent survey commissioned by The Executive Leadership
Council(R) believe it is important to have minorities in senior executive
roles.

Conducted by Harris Interactive, the poll of 150 executives from a broad range
of industries, services and locales, was taken between November 4 and December
2, 2008. The findings show that 75 percent of corporate executives believe
that having minorities in senior executive positions is particularly important
to providing new ideas and innovation and to better reflect the diversity of
customers.

The poll, conducted immediately following the election of Barack Obama,
occurred at a time when there was increased discussion of how the election of
the first African-American President of the United States would impact
opportunities for minorities seeking to move into the C-Suite and on to
corporate boards.

The findings also showed that African-American women in particular face
serious challenges in their climb up the corporate ladder. Thirty-one percent
of the surveyed executives attribute those challenges to weaker or less
strategic networks available to African-American women. Inaccurate perceptions
of African-American women's capabilities (24 percent) and work/life balance
demands (23 percent) round out the top three issues cited as preventing or
slowing down their rise.

"Frankly, the findings confirm what we found in our in-depth research
completed earlier in 2008," said Carl Brooks, President and CEO of The
Executive Leadership Council, the leading organization for the most senior
level African-American executives in corporate America. Completed in spring
2008, the Black Women Executives Research Initiative was a year-long study of
success factors and impediments for black women executives aspiring to the
most senior positions in America's top companies. "Not only should senior
executives cultivate more trusted and strategic relationships with
high-potential black women executives, it is important for black women
executives to have and execute detailed plans for advancement and demonstrate
a passion for the values and culture of their companies," said Brooks.

The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) poll yielded a number of findings that
coincided with the earlier in-depth research, including:

-- African-American women should seek high-visibility stretch assignments
to improve their access to C-Suite positions, (73 percent);
-- African-American women should set career goals and create the action
plans necessary to achieve them (67 percent);
-- African-American women should work with executive coaches to prepare
for
and take full advantage of critical feedback (57 percent).

"CEOs and black women executives seem to have a significant disconnect about
how they view some of the behaviors and experiences of senior black corporate
women," said Ancella Livers, Executive Director of the ELC's Institute for
Leadership Development & Research.

-- Said a CEO, "There is an issue whether black women have emphasized
whether they have taken on the most challenging assignments, but are
not
getting credit for it and not getting the value for it. You want to
anticipate what you want, and what you think is owed to you, and ask
for
it in advance."
-- Said one of the black women executives, "I didn't get feedback
about why I wasn't considered for the General Manager role. I was
given the feedback that 'this position is not for you' rather
than hearing, 'this is what you need to do to become the
GM.'"

Combined with its research, the Institute intends to use the survey results to
finalize programs for senior and mid-level black women executives to help them
strengthen strategic relationships with senior level men, build networks and
increase visibility. "In spite of the barriers, many black women are skilled
and ready to assume the responsibilities of the C-Suite. This work allows us
to create a roadmap to help prepare mid-career black women who aspire to the
highest levels of leadership in today's corporations," said Dr. Livers.

Respondents to both studies provided concrete suggestions when asked what
major corporations can do to increase the number of African-American female
executives in their senior management teams.

-- "Corporations need cultural change to attract African-American
females and females in general. Second, specific training for women
and
African-American women by major corporations."
-- "There needs to be senior management complete commitment -- not
just a pet project of the CEO."

About the Executive Leadership Council
The Executive Leadership Council is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(6)
corporation, founded in 1986 to provide African-American executives of major
U.S. companies with a professional network and forum to offer perspective and
direction on national and international business and public policy issues. It
is the preeminent organization that recognizes the strengths, success,
contributions, and impact of African-American corporate business leaders.
Council members -- more than 400 executives, one-third of them women --
represent more than 280 Fortune 500 corporations. For more information about
The Executive Leadership Council, please visit www.elcinfo.com.

About the Executive Leadership Council Survey
The Executive Leadership Council survey was conducted by telephone within the
U.S. by Harris Interactive for the Harris Interactive Executive Omnibus. The
survey was fielded between November 4 and December 2, 2008. The sample
included a total of 150 executives from a broad range of industries, services
and locales and included respondents from companies with revenue of $1 billion
and above annually. Respondents included CEOs, Chairmen/Executive Vice
Presidents and Vice Presidents/Directors.

Black Women Executives Research Initiative Report
The year-long study of success factors and impediments for black women
executives as they aspire to the most senior positions in corporate America
included interviews with 76 black women executives, 18 CEOs, and 38 peers.

The report was commissioned by The Executive Leadership Council and The
Executive Leadership Council Foundation, conducted by Springboard--Partners in
Cross Cultural Leadership and supported by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation and
the Moody's Foundation.

SOURCE Executive Leadership Council

Damon Williams of Executive Leadership Council, +1-703-706-5216,
dwilliams@elcinfo.com