This week's focus is on strategies for being the only person of your identity in the workplace.
Does it sometimes seem as though you are going it alone at work? The only woman in tech, the only person of color, the only boomer, the only one with small children, the only LGBTQIA +, the only Gen X, Gen Z, Gen Y, or First Gen college graduate, or the only person living with a disability? The only person of your faith? The only person who's new? There are a multitude of identities, and a multitude of ways that we can feel alone. And, happily, there are a multitude of ways that our teams and supervisors can help us feel connected!
From How the LGBTQ+ community fares in the workplace: "Our research shows that stress increases when a person experiences “onlyness,” or being the only one on a team or in a meeting with their given gender identity, sexual orientation, or race. Employees who face onlyness across multiple dimensions face even more pressure to perform."
From How to Talk About Religion at Work: "Your job as a manager is to make the time to gain a general awareness of different religious identities in the world, just as you would with other important aspects of a person’s identity. This is especially important when you’re leading multi-cultural teams or people across geographies. Building cultural competence will help you understand people who come from backgrounds different than your own, show respect and empathy for their experiences, and cultivate a communication style that appeals to everyone. Leaders who practice cultural competence believe that our unique backgrounds are our strengths — rather than obstacles to overcome — and pay attention to how our differences can drive engagement, productivity, and success."
From How to Navigate Being the Only Woman on Your Team: Advice From Local Women in Tech: "It’s easy to fall into a pattern of being deferential with male colleagues in meetings and day-to-day work. That’s the path of least resistance, but taking it often comes at the expense of being as effective as possible and can undermine your confidence and impactfulness and limit future opportunities. My greatest piece of advice is to stay focused and embrace disagreement where appropriate to help others better understand problems or possible solutions, and model respectful listening with all colleagues when they speak. Say “yes” to new opportunities and don’t be afraid to fail."
Here are a few more easy-read resources on understanding and handling some of these situations:
- Going It Alone: The Burden Of Being The “Only” Or One Of A Few
- When You’re the Only BIPOC in the Room
- RELIGIOUS RIGHTS - New York State Attorney General
- Succeeding as a Gen Z Leader In Higher Ed
As always, please share any thoughts or resources you have on this topic so that we can all learn more and do better.
All the best,
Holly
WIT Weekly Wisdom: A message for SUNY WIT list subscribers on the topics of Connecting, Learning, Stretching, Teaching, Reaching, and Balancing.
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