Recently, I went to a business event where a prominent African American businesswoman, Cynthia Marshall, the President of AT&T North Carolina, was the guest speaker. She made a statement in her speech that struck me about her childhood. She told a family member "...I am going to be the President of something one day."  Thankfully for Marshall that goal was achieved, when she was appointed President of AT&T North Carolina.

Yet unlike AT&T's North Carolina president, many African Americans that dream of corporate advancement have come away disappointed. The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies survey on employees' perception states that 64% of African Americans would recommend that young blacks pursue a career as an entrepreneur instead of a corporate executive. That is unfortunate, because this era has the greatest number of minority corporate success stories in this nation's history. 

So, why the disconnect?

It may be that many African Americans are struggling with how to navigate in the corporate waters.

To help in that regard, her are 6 steps to help you succeed in corporate America.

1.       Aim high because what you see is what you get. High expectations led to results. While we all face some disappointment, it is important to set challenging professional goals so that you will achieve great things.    

2.      Be a great worker not just average: Performance matters. You must excel at your job. Know the inner workings of your position as well as the strengths and weakness of your staff or fellow team members so you can be successful.            

3.      Tell Your story: Don't be afraid to state your accomplishments to your supervisors. Let them know you want to be a player in the corporate world and seek out their input in what you must do to advance in the company.

4.      Seek out allies: Build consensus when proposing new strategies or initiatives at meetings. Seek out the thoughts and support of co-workers and supervisors to advance your management objectives.

5.      Find a mentor:Seek out mentors inside and outside your organization. Join your company's mentoring or diversity programs.

6.    Diversify your relationships: Build relationships with other racial and gender groups to help build a strong network of business associates. Make an effort to go to outside company functions and seek out the advice of older and more senior members of the company.