I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak to women of color at the University of Pennsylvania about navigating power and politics in academe. Understanding how to navigate power and politics is a critical skill for women working in any organization. My research study of 9 women of color presidents and provosts showed that understanding how to influence and navigate institutional politics helped them advance and attain senior leadership positions. In this workshop, women spoke of supervisors who used their power over them, used their identity against them, or limited their promotions. However, many women had deans and directors that provided professional development opportunities, created jobs, and promoted them. A particular theme was how to find a mentor or keep in touch with people in your network.
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