Lazy or just excuses? Why blame the system?
Hey Jude
Let me be blunt. I don’t understand the constant noise.
In my experience, success is about discipline and graft. Put the hours in, sharpen your skills, and doors will open. That’s it.
Race? I’ve never seen it as the barrier people love to talk about. I’m a Black man in my mid-fifties. A senior exec in fintech. I’ve built a career, own my home, drive what I want, and command respect.
I never let race define me. I refused to let it weigh me down. I stayed focused, ignored the distractions, and outworked everyone in the room.
So tell me this: why do we, as a community, waste so much energy blaming the system? Why cling to victimhood instead of admitting that some of us are simply being lazy?
I’m tired of the excuses. If I can get here, anyone can.
We don’t need sympathy. We need work ethic.
With respect,
Kofi B
Senior Black Exec who lets nothing get in his way.
Hi Kofi
WOW!
Thank you for being so open. I respect your success, and I understand that your journey has shaped your outlook. You have worked hard, and it is clear you have achieved a lot.
But I need to be equally honest. Framing the challenges faced by Black professionals as laziness is unfair and damaging. The use of the word lazy is, in itself, lazy. To reach senior levels as a Black professional, you simply cannot be lazy. Every step takes more scrutiny and more effort. To dismiss those barriers is to ignore the weight of structural inequality that is proven by the data.
Institute for Fiscal Studies
Black graduates earn on average £3,500 less per year than white graduates in their first jobs (Institute for Fiscal Studies)
Only 1.5% of senior leaders in the UK private sector are Black (McGregor Smith Review)
Nearly 70% of Black professionals say they have experienced discrimination at work (BITC)
These are not excuses. They are facts. Hard work is vital, but it is not always enough when the system is uneven.
I agree with you that a victim mindset will never move us forward. But the opposite, ignoring barriers altogether, can hold us back just as much. What I believe in is a growth mindset. One that pushes us to work hard, yes, but also to recognise the obstacles, call them out, and find ways to change them. Without that, progress stalls.
As a senior Black leader, your position gives you influence. Imagine the impact if you:
Listened more deeply to the lived experiences of others
Connected with your community instead of standing apart from it
Mentored rising Black professionals
Joined The BOP community to share your story and insight. Seriously, I’d like to have a further chat with you to give you some more insight into this community. Please reach out.
Looked at the stats and believed them
Shared practical tools and guidance instead of dismissing obstacles
James Baldwin once said:
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Your story and journey matters, Kofi. But so do the stories of those who are working just as hard, yet still blocked by forces beyond their control. Both truths can exist at once.
With respect,
Jude
Learn more
Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire – Akala A powerful exploration of how race and class shape life in Britain today, blending personal experience with history and politics.
Letter to My Daughter – Maya Angelou A collection of essays offering wisdom on identity, resilience, and responsibility, written as life lessons for the next generation.
References
McGregor-Smith Review (2017) – Race in the workplace: The McGregor-Smith Review
Business in the Community (2021) – Race at Work: The Scorecard Report
Institute For Fiscal Studies – The graduate gender and ethnicity earnings gaps
Harvard Business Review – Why So Many Black Professionals Are Stalled at Midcareer
A quick reminder – all names and workplaces have been changed to protect privacy. The emails are real, but some finer details have been adjusted. So don’t go looking for Kofi in fintech.