I’m starting this blog because I believe everyone deserves a fair chance to succeed. No matter your gender identity, race, ethnicity, who you love, or how your brain works.
Early in my career, I was told by an ex-manager that I would never be a leader. I am “not like the other leaders,” he said. As he listed examples of people that I could never strive to be, I couldn’t help but notice that none of them looked like me. Or perhaps I cared too much about others, I wasn’t aggressive enough, or he had assumptions about my identity or ethnicity. Regardless of his reasons, it was discouraging to hear for someone who was just starting their career and used to being othered in many spaces.
Since then, I’ve fortunately had supportive managers and coaches who saw my potential and the strength in my differences. This allowed me to forge my own path in my career. As a leader of a talented, diverse team and a coach helping others navigate their leadership journeys, I’m starting this blog to share what I’ve learned. I hope my experiences can help others who have felt stuck in their careers because of their differences. This is more important than ever with workplace DEI efforts being under attack.
By the way, leadership is not exclusive to particular job titles or whether one has direct reports at work. Everyone can be a leader—it’s about confidently owning who you are, what you stand for, and shaping the world around you to be better than it was yesterday.
If you’ve stumbled upon this post, I’d love for you to join me on this journey of professional and personal growth. Let’s learn and lead together.