"We're saying the house is on fire. Everyone else is saying that's just a little smoke."
COOKIE POWER - Don't be fooled by semantics. This is a book about REAL, not imagined power!
COOKIE POWER - Socio-economic disparity in the workplace and the consequences for men, especially men of color.
COOKIE POWER - Behind the veil of deceit, particularly in the workplace!
COOKIE POWER - Who is REALLY in control?
PREFACE:
The reason for this book.
Due to the sensitivity of the issues and ideas we address in this book, it may not be easy for everyone to comprehend the profound changes now occurring in the workplace, unless one has an open-mind AND has been observant of America’s dramatically and drastically changing workforce. We attempt to address issues and ideas according to our perspective that hopefully will enable you, as the reader, to see the changing demographics in the workplace in a very alarming way. In addition, we also attempt to offer some solutions toward equal opportunities for both sexes.
We are aware that some people, especially women, may interpret that we are coming from a place that is chauvinistic. We support women’s efforts at climbing and achieving goals by rising up the corporate ladder. We definitely are NOT against women making justifiable achievements in the workplace.
As men, we want people to understand the challenges and plight of the declining number of men in the workplace today, particularly in white-collar positions.
Per our observations and discussions with BOTH sexes, it has been observed, which we attempt to describe, the shift toward a primarily female dominated workplace, which was once inappropriately dominated by men. This can be very disconcerting, discouraging and overwhelming to a number of men. From our observations and research, men of color are especially adversely affected by this inequality and imbalance.
Who is playing checkers and who is playing chess in the workplace?
In the course of sharing this information, we use a few comparisons to a few religious sources, which may be troubling to some, as well as graphic and possibly disturbing comparisons to the animal kingdom, of which we are all a part. Within this book, we attempt to illustrate a variety of statistical data to assist us in the reinforcement of our thesis.
Our intent is definitely NOT to promote a return to the archaic ways of the previously male-dominated workplace of the past. What we would like to see is a more "gender-balanced" workplace, where BOTH sexes are fairly and evenly represented, not only in positions, presence, but also in pay.
This book is about our observations of the changing demographics in the workplace of the New Millennium. We see that there is a clear lack of discussion or understanding of the implications of a gender imbalance, which is probably due to a number of men’s lack of foresight, poor planning, preparedness and numerous external distractions. Our observations and research indicate and show that men are steadily losing ground in life, thus making them unprepared for the dramatically changing workplace!
When reading this book, we are asking that you put sexism aside and consider absorbing the material presented from a gender balanced perspective. What is it that a number of men are doing or NOT doing, as it relates to the changing demographics in the workplace? Who or what factors are responsible for this VERY clear shift or gender imbalances of the changing demographics of the workplace?
We understand that a number of our readers may object to this view and compilation of various data presented for this "taboo" and very controversial subject. It is apparent, from our perspective, that a myriad of men are playing checkers, while an innumerable aggregate of women are playing chess!
We have shown and discussed this book in draft stage to both sexes and have found that 100% of men agree with us, but not so with a number of the women we've polled. A number of women don’t see that they may be considered a part of the problem in the creation of a balanced work force.
In our observations and conversations with various women, they complain about men and their issues related to getting and holding a job. Many women fail to realize what the many challenges are that men encounter.
We are not only saying men are accountable for what is happening, but we are also holding women culpable for what is happening with today’s man. There seems to be a double standard facing modern men. It appears that this is a taboo subject today in speaking about the numerous injustices that are happening to men, especially men of color in the work force.
