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The Minority Experience: Navigating Emotional and Organizational Realities Paperback – September 4, 2018
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It's hard to be in the minority.If you're the only person from your ethnic or cultural background in your organization or team, you probably know what it's like to be misunderstood or marginalized. You might find yourself inadvertently overlooked or actively silenced. Even when a work environment is not blatantly racist or hostile, people of color often struggle to thrive―and may end up leaving the organization.Being a minority is not just about numbers. It's about understanding pain, power, and the impact of the past. Organizational consultant Adrian Pei describes key challenges ethnic minorities face in majority-culture organizations. He unpacks how historical forces shape contemporary realities, and what both minority and majority cultures need to know in order to work together fruitfully. If you're a cultural minority working in a majority culture organization, or if you're a majority culture supervisor of people from other backgrounds, learn the dynamics at work. And be encouraged that you can help make things better so that all can flourish.
- Print length208 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherIVP
- Publication dateSeptember 4, 2018
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches
- ISBN-100830845488
- ISBN-13978-0830845484
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"As someone who spent the better part of fifty years in human resource management endeavors - teaching, writing, practicing - I considered myself fairly astute about the matters of which Pei writes. After reading his book I am humbled by how much I still have to learn and how much The Minority Experience can teach me. Pei deeply and honestly examines key issues which can move us toward a much fuller cultural competence in inter-personal and institutional endeavors." (Archie Kleingartner, Founding Dean and Professor Emeritus, UCLA Anderson School of Management and UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs) "To grow oneness in the body of Christ, to develop understanding between people, and to encourage acceptance and respect when there are differences all require more than just willingness to reach across those differences. Adrian Pei gives us that opportunity. In The Minority Experience he invites us to walk with him on his journey as a minority living and working in a majority culture. His honesty and vulnerability give us a taste of the feelings of inadequacy and the pain he has lived through and the victories he has achieved. This book can give hope to other minorities inhabiting a majority space and enable those majority people to gain empathy, comprehension, and compassion for the reality of the challenges facing our brothers and sisters." (Judy Douglass, director of Cru Women's Resources)
"The Minority Experience: Navigating Emotional and Organizational Realities was a pleasure to read because I not only gained new insight from a well-researched and well-written book, but I learned things about myself I did not know. Adrian Pei has given us fresh insight into the issues surrounding race and ethnicity; let's accept it as he moves us farther down the road to healing."(Randy Woodley, author of Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision) "Rooted in specific stories and practical examples, this book is a must-read for any culturally competent organization. Adrian provides clear and vulnerable insight into the experience of ethnic minorities in many dominant-culture-led organizations. His framework of Pain, Power, and Past provides a solid foundation for understanding and will help communities avoid many common mistakes." (Sandra Maria Van Opstal, author of The Next Worship)
"Insightful, practical, honest, and kind hearted, The Minority Experience is an enormously insightful book. I don't know of another book that so clearly illuminates the experience of ethnic minorities in majority culture organizations. I was challenged and encouraged by Adrian Pei's thoughts and, more than that, felt hope for the future of my own organization--highly recommended." (Matt Mikalatos, author of Good News for a Change and Sky Lantern) "Adrian Pei wonderfully exposits, via stories and quantitative data, a missing piece of the conversation in today's tense national racial divide. This is absolutely necessary reading for those in the majority who may not understand what it's like to be a minority as well as for minorities who have struggled to put into words what they've been feeling. It is for leaders of organizations and for anyone who calls themself a Christian. This is a book I wish I had written! Not only do we share the Asian American experience, but I am a Cru alum as well. Pei blends faith, practice, and theory together into a beautiful, eye-opening tapestry." (Allen Yeh, associate professor of intercultural studies and missiology at Biola University)
"The Minority Experience is a powerful and compelling read, regardless of your ethnic or faith background. I whole heartedly recommend it to anyone who wants to build a fair and just society for all!" (Stewart Kwoh, president, executive director, and founder of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Los Angeles) "The Minority Experience is a helpful addition for organizational leaders to grow and deepen their cultural intelligence to include race and ethnicity. Author Adrian Pei draws from his own ethnic identity journey, which pushes his understanding of leadership and faith, and graciously tells the story of organizational failures and opportunities." (Kathy Khang, author of Raise Your Voice) "Some books add to a conversation and some books move a conversation forward. The Minority Experience is the latter. I've been looking for a book that adds this perspective to the church's conversation on race as well as offers practical steps for making significant change to power structures and organizations. Adrian Pei's tightly written and persuasive book should be required reading for leaders and teams looking to build healthier cultures and jump ahead in one of the most significant conversations facing society today. I can't recommend it enough." (Ken Wytsma, author of The Myth of Equality, lead pastor of Village Church in Beaverton, Oregon)
Review
"As someone who spent the better part of fifty years in human resource management endeavors―teaching, writing, practicing―I considered myself fairly astute about the matters of which Pei writes. After reading his book I am humbled by how much I still have to learn and how much The Minority Experience can teach me. Pei deeply and honestly examines key issues which can move us toward a much fuller cultural competence in interpersonal and institutional endeavors."
-- Archie Kleingartner, founding dean and professor emeritus, UCLA Anderson School of Management and UCLA Luskin School of Public AffairsAbout the Author
Product details
- Publisher : IVP (September 4, 2018)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 208 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0830845488
- ISBN-13 : 978-0830845484
- Item Weight : 12.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,458,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #490 in Business Conflict Resolution & Mediation (Books)
- #1,507 in Law Specialties (Books)
- #1,626 in Christian Business & Professional Growth
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Adrian Pei (Stanford University, Fuller Theological Seminary) is an organizational development consultant, certified coach and leadership trainer who works for two of the largest corporate and ministry organizations in the world. He specializes in speaking and writing about organizational leadership, diversity, and inclusion. Pei served as associate national director of leadership development of Epic Movement, the Asian American ministry of Cru. He speaks at conferences, churches, universities, and podcasts. Pei has also designed and created leadership curriculum and tools that have been used by thousands of employees in both corporate and nonprofit organizations. He is the author of The Minority Experience, What Really Matters in Leadership?, Facing the Demands of Leadership, and The Art of Growing Through Feedback. You can interact with Adrian on his website adrianpei.com, or on Twitter @adrianpei.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book insightful and helpful for understanding minority experiences. They appreciate the well-researched content and included study guide that help them take action. Readers describe the narrative as powerful and compelling. The book provides a healing balm by putting words to strong emotions experienced by many. Customers praise the author's personal and honest writing style.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book insightful and helpful for those in the majority culture. It helps them understand the minority experience through the lens of pain, power, and past. Readers appreciate the honest and thought-provoking insights from the author. The book provides practical ways to help others and encourages organizations to engage with the issues.
"...point of view of ethnic minorities, this book can be applied across all kinds of minorities, whether it's gender, class, religion, or marital status...." Read more
"...Adrian Pei invites us on a journey that is well informed by his own experience, his breadth of relationships, and study of the Black, Latino, Asian..." Read more
"...Pain with Eyes of Compassion" was quite an eye-opening and meaningful chapter for me to read--I ended up savoring that particular chapter..." Read more
"...tears many times, my way of thinking was challenged, I gained insight into myself and others, and I was given tangible ways to bring about change ...." Read more
Customers find the book helpful for understanding and taking action. They appreciate the included study guide for further learning. The author provides practical solutions for organizations to diversity beyond finding the token person. The book is timely for the world we live in, providing a timely introduction and analysis on the lives of people from different perspectives.
"...as an ethnic majority, I appreciate the diversity in ethnicity, religion, and class in this small country...." Read more
"...of his examples reflect his Christian perspective, but the book is broadly generalizable to those coming from a different worldview...." Read more
"...this work of mapping both his thoughts and contemporary events with appropriate references from scripture...." Read more
"...I would highly recommend this well-written and extensively researched book to anyone who seeks to truly understand the lives of all minorities in..." Read more
Customers find the book compelling and engaging. They praise the author's work for describing his thoughts clearly.
"This is a fantastic book...." Read more
"Adrian Pei has written an excellent book that I found myself finishing nearly in one sitting!..." Read more
"...I think Adrian does an exceptional job in this work of mapping both his thoughts and contemporary events with appropriate references from..." Read more
"...The stories from his own experience are compelling, but so too are those he relates from the lives of others...." Read more
Customers find the book helpful for overcoming pain. It helps them see it with compassion and provides a healing balm for their souls. The book puts words to some strong emotions that many people experience.
"..."We must shift from a self-absorbed mindset to one that sees pain with eyes of compassion, stewards power with hands of advocacy, and reframes the..." Read more
"...culture, I found Pei's writing to be very much like a healing balm to my soul--I found myself identifying with his own experiences and learning much..." Read more
"...Yet, this is definitely the good kind of pain that exposes truths that need to be faced...." Read more
Customers appreciate the author's personal and honest writing style.
"...refreshing to read about Pei's experiences in such a candid and personal manner...." Read more
"...minority brothers and sisters face every day in a compassionate and honest way...." Read more
"Personal, honest and thought-provoking..." Read more
Reviews with images
A Window into the Minority Experience
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2018This book provides a timely introduction and analysis on the lives of minorities. It puts words to some strong emotions that a significant part of society experiences, known or unknown. Even in the 21st century, minorities continue to suffer today, e.g. the Rohingya Muslims or Christians in Iran and historical injustices continue to have their impact felt. The author explains that history is the reason why it's not just about each side seeing it from the other person's point of view equally because it isn't: "Minorities experience a unique and additional layer of pain that those from majority culture simply do not have to deal with."
Although written from the point of view of ethnic minorities, this book can be applied across all kinds of minorities, whether it's gender, class, religion, or marital status. The pain described is a universal one stemming from lack of justice, understanding, and dignity that comes from being different in a more homogeneous group.
The book is broken up largely into 2 parts- 1) helping the reader understand and 2) helping the reader take action
By reflecting and researching on this topic, the author has provided for people in majority cultures insight into what minorities experience every day and for people in minority cultures a deeper awareness of what's happening below the surface for themselves. As an ethnic minority growing up in the U.S., I not only recognized some of the pain the author describes, but also developed more empathy for other minorities of different types after reading this book.
Now that I'm living in Singapore as an ethnic majority, I appreciate the diversity in ethnicity, religion, and class in this small country. Unlike the U.S., Singapore chooses to retain the distinctiveness and beauty of other cultures by providing mother-tongue education, celebrating cultural holidays, and having signs in 4 languages. It's the difference of adaptation vs. assimilation, which the author also describes in detail. To be sure, there are still lots of issues that are underneath the surface in Singapore, which is why I've been encouraged by the 2nd half of the book to "walk against the flow of the moving walkway" to empathize and seek justice in my context, whether it's at work, public interactions, or even with my (future) domestic helper.
For organizations such as companies or churches, this book serves as a good conversation starter on how to embrace diversity and help minorities feel more included, even in less obvious contexts, such as singles in a church full of married couples. The included study guide is great for that purpose!
Each of us is in a majority culture in one sense or another, so I found it helpful to be convicted to get out of my comfort zone and make a difference. As the author says, "We must shift from a self-absorbed mindset to one that sees pain with eyes of compassion, stewards power with hands of advocacy, and reframes the past with a heart of wisdom."
- Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2018This is a fantastic book. Adrian Pei invites us on a journey that is well informed by his own experience, his breadth of relationships, and study of the Black, Latino, Asian and Native American communities. He combines transparency with research in a way that is inviting and never boring. He helps us understand the minority experience through the three-part lens of pain, power and past history.
Pei’s book is especially good for three audiences. First, he writes about his personal journey so that other minorities can better understand and make sense of their own experience living in a majority white culture. Second, he provides a sensitive window into the challenges that ethnic and racial minorities face in a way that responds to many of the questions raised by majority people. For instance, he writes: “What I’m trying to do is clarify that minorities experience a unique and additional layer of pain that those from the majority culture simply do not have to deal with.” He does an excellent job of explaining why this layer of pain is so wearying for minorities and how it is different from the pain that everyone faces in their life.
The third audience that will benefit from this book is people, and especially leaders, in organizations wanting to diversify and to do it well. Pei studied organizational management at Stanford and provides some very practical and wise advice on steps to consider in developing an inclusive community that strengthens the organization. He also includes realistic pitfalls and how one might avoid them. He clarifies the weariness minorities experience working in a majority organization and why so few minorities remain for an extended period.
Pei did graduate work at Fuller Theological Seminary and works for a Christian organization. Many of his examples reflect his Christian perspective, but the book is broadly generalizable to those coming from a different worldview.
Lots of books have discussion questions for each chapter. I usually find these to be simplistic with obvious answers. Not so in Pei’s book. There are a few thoughtful questions for each chapter that a small group can discuss that will further people’s thinking or assist an individual in reflection. This is a book that requires reflection.
Pei is realistic but also hopeful. He concludes his book with reference to his three-part lens: “Pain, power, and the past—they’re not a burden that has to weaken us. They are an incredible gift that will stretch our hearts with more capacity for love and understanding than we ever knew we could have. That is the gift of the minority experience.”
5.0 out of 5 stars A Window into the Minority ExperienceThis is a fantastic book. Adrian Pei invites us on a journey that is well informed by his own experience, his breadth of relationships, and study of the Black, Latino, Asian and Native American communities. He combines transparency with research in a way that is inviting and never boring. He helps us understand the minority experience through the three-part lens of pain, power and past history.
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2018
Pei’s book is especially good for three audiences. First, he writes about his personal journey so that other minorities can better understand and make sense of their own experience living in a majority white culture. Second, he provides a sensitive window into the challenges that ethnic and racial minorities face in a way that responds to many of the questions raised by majority people. For instance, he writes: “What I’m trying to do is clarify that minorities experience a unique and additional layer of pain that those from the majority culture simply do not have to deal with.” He does an excellent job of explaining why this layer of pain is so wearying for minorities and how it is different from the pain that everyone faces in their life.
The third audience that will benefit from this book is people, and especially leaders, in organizations wanting to diversify and to do it well. Pei studied organizational management at Stanford and provides some very practical and wise advice on steps to consider in developing an inclusive community that strengthens the organization. He also includes realistic pitfalls and how one might avoid them. He clarifies the weariness minorities experience working in a majority organization and why so few minorities remain for an extended period.
Pei did graduate work at Fuller Theological Seminary and works for a Christian organization. Many of his examples reflect his Christian perspective, but the book is broadly generalizable to those coming from a different worldview.
Lots of books have discussion questions for each chapter. I usually find these to be simplistic with obvious answers. Not so in Pei’s book. There are a few thoughtful questions for each chapter that a small group can discuss that will further people’s thinking or assist an individual in reflection. This is a book that requires reflection.
Pei is realistic but also hopeful. He concludes his book with reference to his three-part lens: “Pain, power, and the past—they’re not a burden that has to weaken us. They are an incredible gift that will stretch our hearts with more capacity for love and understanding than we ever knew we could have. That is the gift of the minority experience.”
Images in this review - Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2018Adrian Pei has written an excellent book that I found myself finishing nearly in one sitting! As one who knows what is like to be in the minority culture in one organizational setting, and yet occupying space in the majority culture in another setting, I found myself greatly benefiting from this book from both perspectives. From the perspective of the minority culture, I found Pei's writing to be very much like a healing balm to my soul--I found myself identifying with his own experiences and learning much from his insightful observations related to organizational leadership. Pei articulated complex experiences for me that I had trouble naming and identifying for decades. From the perspective of the majority culture, I found that reading Pei's book was like opening up a window to compassion for someone like me who has also lived in that "privileged" space of majority culture in which cultural and organizational "blind spots" produce a hidden reality of pain for those in the minority. In particular, Ch. 6 "Seeing Pain with Eyes of Compassion" was quite an eye-opening and meaningful chapter for me to read--I ended up savoring that particular chapter multiple times. In our current cultural moment, we need more "wounded healers" like Adrian Pei whose writing will undoubtedly serve as a continual healing balm for others.
John D. Yoon
Program on Medicine and Religion
The University of Chicago