David A. Stuart
Born on the Caribbean Island of Barbados, the Author for thirty-plus years, made an eventful journey through the corporate world of work.This is his story.
LIMITED SKIES presents a hitherto unrevealed perspective of work life, culture and systems in several organizations as seen from a different perspective.
It is an experiential journey through the Aviation, Transportation and Tourism Industries, vividly bringing to its pages, the people and personalities, the plans and plots, the joys and pains and the successes and disappointments, which he encountered in his quest to reach for the sky.
Since to date there has been no major paradigm shift in corporate behavior, It became necessary for him to write this book, so that persons on all sides of the racial divide could be sensitized to the struggles and lifestyle adjustments that people of color, particularly males, and people who are just different from the mainstream through gender or orientation, have to undergo, as they navigate the skies of their dreams, hopes and aspirations.
As the story unfolds, it reveals the fact that in a very real sense, the playing fields are not level, and so the skies are limited to minorities. Such limitations are so subtle and entrenched within the corporate systems and culture, that to the uninformed person, it appears to be, business as usual.
If you are experiencing turbulence in your corporate life, or in any endeavor, just because you are different from the rest, we trust that you will draw strength and wisdom from the true stories found herein, and that you will be energized to keep pressing forward, so that for you, the sky will indeed be the limit.
David A. Stuart won one of two Aviation Scholarships given to the Government of Barbados by Britain, upon the achievement of Independence in 1966.
He was educated at Combermere School Barbados, Ealing Technical College London, and read for an EMBA at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad.
Specializing in marketing, he began his career as a marketing Assistant with BOAC, (forerunner of British Airways) He held senior positions with Caribbean Airways in Barbados, Baltimore and Boston, USA. He was Marketing Manager for Barbados Tourism, before rejoining British Airways for a 16 year career, holding Sales and Management positions in the Caribbean, The UK, and the USA. He left British Airways in 1996 while Director of Sales for Florida and the Bahamas.
Mr. Stuart served a three year assignment as Director of Marketing/Corporate Development for LIAT the Caribbean Airline (2000 to 2003) where he created the new LIAT brand and livery piloted the corporate renewal program and conducted Motivational courses for over 500 employees.
He is a dynamic speaker, organizer, motivator, salesman and winner of several sales achievement awards in England, the Caribbean and Latin America. He was a member of the Trustee Council of the Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce and a regular guest Lecturer for the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Florida International University.
The Mission Statement of the organization clearly articulated the type of individual and managerial behavior it expected of its managers. I tried to emulate those required behaviors, only to find that the same qualities, which were rewarded in White managers, became the reason I was experiencing Limited Skies.
It has therefore been my experience that color has such a pervasive impact on one’s corporate life that it subordinates for mainstream people, considerations of our education, class and background. One is considered a person of color first and an individual second.
To survive I had to develop skills at being a diplomat, a magician, a contortionist, a guru, a peacemaker, a visionary and a mind reader. I had to be smart without being too smart, strong but not showing strength, confident, but showing some signs of weakness. I had to remain smiling and pleasant in the midst of ethnic jokes.
I had to be intelligent without making anyone feel I was being arrogant, I had to be honest without stepping on someone’s toes every time I spoke. The greatest feat was to gain the trust and respect of other persons of color in the organization, whilst at the same time seeking the acceptance of my white colleagues.
I did all in my power to beat the stereotypical black male profile, displaying knowledge of subjects other than sports and sex in my quest to reach for the skies.
