Changing Yourself
Cultural connections and disconnections can alter and affect how you view and experience the world.
There are four aspects of being culturally disconnected:
I lacked a genuine connection with my coworkers. There were many days I felt out of place.
For example, on Fridays, if they had fried food, someone would come to my door and say, “Hey, they have fried chicken. I know you like fried chicken.” And let me be clear. They never came by to share other food options.
Women are rarely invited to play golf or attend after work events with the men. If I went to work events, I didn’t drink sweet tea, because that was a Southern drink.
Surprisingly a few shared that they were fine with having a relationship with me in private but not in public.
Now from a career standpoint, everything was going well. I was getting promoted, getting raises, and long-term incentives. There are a whole lot of people who have success on paper, but they’re unfulfilled in life.
How Women Are a Minority
Never confuse the two as you journey in your career.
Blend In, Not Fit In.
The goal is to stay authentic by blending in, not fitting in! So many of us assimilate into organizations and cultures. For some of us, the weight of this is too heavy to bear.
When we blend in, organizations benefit from our authentic skills, knowledge, and experiences. It is important to understand why you are in this state so you can move to the next phase of self-discovery.