I remember my first week in my corporate role at Wood, when one of my team members said to me that she thought I was a bit ‘corporate boho’. Not sure what it was about me that made her say that. 😊 It could have been my unkempt red hair, it may have been the flowery dress instead of the tailored suit, or maybe the penchant for wearing converse trainers, instead of heels. None of that has changed and to be honest, I took it as a massive complement and still wear it as a badge of honour. Something about my physical appearance gave an impression but it had nothing to do with my performance or capability. Clearly there was something a bit different about me and its always something that has stuck with me, giving me pause for thought around whether I needed to dress differently, conform somehow to fit in?
That feeling of fitting in is what drives me in my role in inclusion and diversity. I am comfortable enough in my own skin that I embrace the potential to be an outlier because I am resilient and actually I think it’s my purpose in life to continue to advocate and speak up, because I know that there are others who are not able to. Ultimately creating an inclusive workplace means seeking that for everyone.
Having an inclusive environment is when people feel psychologically safe and it's when we are encouraged to talk openly and express what we are thinking, even when it’s not what other people are saying. It’s when we feel empowered to really share who we are, our lived experiences without fearing judgement and retaliation and its when we feel recognised and valued for our contributions
For me, looking back, what could have been perceived as negative feedback, fuelled me even more. I began to learn about ‘Edgewalkers’ and made it my ambition to always try and be one. For those of you have time, I would recommend reading the book by Judi Neal. She talks about the Edgewalker as someone who “walks between two worlds”, “ a leader who is effective in all the traditional measures but who also has the ability to sense the future, to build bridges between different paradigms and to create what has never been created before.”
For me ‘Edgewalkers’ are all around us and we can all choose to be one. Pushing for possibility, trying new things, saying something that everyone else is to too scared to say and hoping to inspire a little as they go. As we continue to navigate this complex world and the many people who struggle every day to raise their voice or find their place, your fight is my fight.
Get in touch and lets talk about how I can support you in your inclusion approach.
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