Why Belonging Matters More Than Ever
“I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself." – Maya Angelou
Belonging at Work
"I belong here." Say those words to yourself. That feeling of relaxation, completeness, safety. That is the power of belonging.
We all want to belong. To find spaces where we can authentically show up as ourselves and be welcomed, accepted and embraced for our unique qualities. The work falls to both us as individuals and the organizations we work for to create these safe spaces. It's not just about finding the right workplace, specialty, and responsibilities, belonging goes deeper into how valued we feel at work, the connections we make, and the feeling that we are a part of a larger community.
So, what does it mean to really belong at work? How do we find that authentic belonging we are all searching for? Here are a few ways we can get started:
1. Connection: We all have different stories and experiences. Why not embrace our differences to deepen and further our connections? Instead of asking how someone's weekend was, try a deeper question that shows you've listened to them in the past. "How's your daughter doing at basketball?" "Did you ever take that art class?" "Reading anything interesting now?" "Which Kendrick lyric do you think pressed Drake the most?"
2. Visibility: When we truly belong, we feel that we are seen, heard, and are appreciated for the work that we do. Having visibility, recognition, and access to opportunities allows us to feel that we are making an impact and in turn increases feelings of belonging. "I saw that your project was mentioned on the Intranet. I'd love to learn more about it." "I want to acknowledge Vanessa for her late night work last week." "Let's start this team call by sharing our best client moments of last week - anything, large or small, and you don't have to share if you're not ready."
3. Contribution: Does our work align with and contribute to the core values of our organization? When we can see the impact of our work and feel that we are contributing to our organization's vision it can greatly improve our feeling of belonging and satisfaction at work. My favorite question to ask in my belonging sessions and my impostor syndrome workshops is this: "Think of the times you have been the happiest, the proudest, or the most satisfied at work - which values come to mind?" The more you can align those values to the values in your workplace, the more you will feel that you belong here.
Let's all commit to doing the work so that we create a ripple effect that transforms our workplaces into communities where everyone feels they truly belong and can thrive and succeed.
Do the work
This week, I commit to focusing on self-awareness and empathy, understanding my own biases and working to challenge them, and actively listening to and having open communications with my colleagues.
Spread the word
Sign Up for The Belonging Buzzword: A DEI Double Feature
I'm excited to share that this week I will be joining my friend, Bernadette Smith, Founder of The Equality Institute on Wednesday, May 8th @ 1pm ET for a LinkedIn Live, The Belonging Buzzword: A DEI Double Feature. We'll chat about how we create safer, more inclusive workplaces where everyone can belong, how belonging fits into our work, what belonging at work looks and feels like, and some advice, tips, and best practices for how we create workplaces where we all belong. Join us!
If you want to keep going
What Everyone Should Know and Do About Imposter Syndrome
Do you ever walk into your workplace and feel out of place? Do you ever feel that no matter how perfect you do a job, it is never perfect enough? Do you constantly feel that someday, someone, somewhere will stand up, point their finger at you, and expose you for who you truly know you are – a fraud?
This is impostor syndrome. But what causes it? How do our workplaces perpetuate it? And what can we do to transform it? I will join you for an interactive, engaging workshop on impostor syndrome. We are going to work together to battle those feelings of exclusion, connect with the values we bring into the workplace, and lean into the absolute certainty that we belong here.
