Pet to Threat: Navigating Workplace Perceptions as a WOC

Imagine a young Black woman, early in her career, embraced by her team as the bright, promising newcomer. She's the diligent junior, always the first to arrive and the last to leave. Initially, her ideas are met with smiles, her efforts praised, and her potential a topic of many a mentoring session. She's seen as moldable, likable—a “pet project” for the mostly-White leadership to shape and showcase as evidence of their commitment to diversity.

Fast forward a few years. The same woman, now a key player in the company, steps into a room to present a groundbreaking idea at a high-stakes meeting. Her voice, once timid, carries the weight of experience and the confidence of a proven track record. The room falls silent, not necessarily in awe of the idea, but in a steadily unfolding, uncomfortable realization: she is no longer the eager-to-please junior. She has grown, evolved, and emerged as a peer, a potential leader, a rival.

Her voice, once timid, carries the weight of experience and the confidence of a proven track record.

It’s at moments like these that a subtle yet seismic shift occurs. Where there was once support, there's now a cold distance. The mentorship, praise, and opportunities dry up, replaced by skepticism and thinly veiled hostility. Her ascendancy, once celebrated, now marks her as a threat—a challenge to the status quo, a disruptor of the established hierarchy. This is Pet to Threat, a term Dr. Kecia Thomas penned to capture this very tragic and common occurrence for Black women and women of color.

It’s at moments like these that a subtle yet seismic shift occurs. Where there was once support, there's now a cold distance. The mentorship, praise, and opportunities dry up, replaced by skepticism and thinly veiled hostility. Her ascendancy, once celebrated, now marks her as a threat—a challenge to the status quo, a disruptor of the established hierarchy. This is Pet to Threat, a term Dr. Kecia Thomas penned to capture this very tragic and common occurrence for Black women and women of color.

Her ascendancy, once celebrated, now marks her as a threat—a challenge to the status quo, a disruptor of the established hierarchy.

The Challenge:

Navigating from being seen as a high-potential "pet" to a perceived "threat" is a testament to the systemic obstacles that still pervade our workplaces. It's a paradoxical trap where your growth triggers barriers instead of opportunities.

So what do we do?

1. Cultivate Your Support Network Early On: Assemble a personal advisory board that transcends your workplace. Yes, include people outside of your organization, and yes, do this before you feel like you “need” it. It’s never too early, but it can become too late. Focus on mentors, sponsors, and peers who can provide external and objective perspective, support, and advice on navigating your career trajectory. #ProTip: Remember that mentors are great, but who you really want on your personal board are sponsors and champions. So always keep an eye out for ways to convert mentors into sponsors and champions.
2. Document Your Journey: Keep an exhaustive record of your achievements, accolades, and positive feedback. Yep, this is annoying and can feel like something you don’t have time for. But build a habit of doing this weekly or monthly, and you’re looking at a way different career track in 3, 5, or 10 years than if you had just binged one more episode on Netflix. This will be the backbone of your self-advocacy and a critical counterbalancing force to narratives (external or internal) that seek to minimize your contributions.
3. Expand Your Horizons: Proactively seek out professional development and networking opportunities outside of your immediate work environment. If this message wasn’t clear from the above: Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Having a robust and broad support network will open up new pathways for growth and recognition. Understand that most valuable opportunities require you to invest your funds and remember that the alternative––only investing in your PD when your employer says it’s okay (yeah, chew on that for a minute)––is far worse. Take ownership of your professional growth. This is the career insurance you never knew you needed (you do NOT want to be caught without it).
4. Prioritize Self-Care: The emotional toll of experiencing the "Pet to Threat" phenomenon can be significant. And that’s on top of the requisite level of exclusion, microaggressions, and thankless extra labor you’re facing. Engage in practices that support your mental and emotional well-being, so you have the fuel to continue pursuing your goals. It’s easy to fall prey to hankerings for “easy fixes” like retail therapy or to simply tell yourself to “hang on” till that next vacation, but know that those are band-aid approaches. Over time they will drain your bank account while you continue to be drained in other ways. So be rigorous about your self-care. Choose the ones that will grow you: therapy, meditation, mindfulness, healing work, exercise.
5. Speak Out and Lift Up: Share your experiences and stand in solidarity with those who navigate similar paths. We all can feel alone sometimes, but the reality is: a) that’s by design and b) we are so not alone. We can always, always answer the call to join forces because we ARE stronger together. Collective awareness and coordinated action are the most powerful tools in the ongoing quest to dismantle systemic racism and bias. Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.

Rising to your true potential should always be a cause for celebration––never a catalyst for exclusion.