Corporate executive career success : a descriptive single case study exploring Black millennials’ experiences with intersectionality and executive development coaching.

The purpose of this descriptive single case study was to explore the career development experiences of Black millennials in their thirties, aspiring for executive positions in corporate America. This research addressed the challenges these individuals face, focusing on the impact of intersectionality, career development resources, and coaching. Utilizing Crenshaw’s (1989) intersectionality theory (IT) and Lent et al.’s (1994) social cognitive career theory (SCCT), the study aimed to understand how Black millennial aspiring executives (BMAEs), between the ages of 30 and 39, engage in career development experiences working in corporate America organizations (CAOs; Byars-Winston & Rogers, 2019; Cornileus, 2012; McKinsey et al., 2021). Data collection for this descriptive single case study involved 47 respondents to an online Career Success survey. I selected six BMAEs aged 30–39 from this group for in-depth virtual interviews (Brown & Lent, 2017; Coetzee et al., 2017). The research examined how participants leveraged career development and coaching resources, along with their experiences of adversity and growth in their career journeys. Key findings revealed that BMAEs proactively sought out the support of career development and coaching opportunities for professional growth, while they reactively sought support when facing identity and workplace challenges (Bell & Nkomo, 2003; Dickens et al., 2019; Erskine et al., 2021; Parks-Yancy, 2006). Participants reported navigating White workspaces by assimilating to cultural expectations while also actively demonstrating resilience. The study concluded that executive development coaching programs tailored to Black professionals can play a pivotal role in fostering career success and enhancing retention by addressing systemic barriers, building leadership skills, and offering culturally attuned support (Bozer et al., 2013; McDonald & Hite, 2005). Corporate leaders and HR practitioners can use these insights to bolster more consistent support for Black millennial talent. This will help create more inclusive leadership pipelines in corporate spaces. Organizations aiming to improve equity in career advancement should apply these findings when developing executive development programs and coaching initiatives for underrepresented groups (McDonald & Hite, 2005; Roth, 2017).

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Samuels, Jessica Esinam Agorsor, 1983-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Sanguras, Laila Y., 1977-

• Black professionals.
• Career advancement.
• Coaching.
• Executive development.
• Intersectionality.
• Social cognitive career theory.
• White workspaces.
• Workplace discrimination.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/14012

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/14012