James Baldwin once said, “Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go.”
Owning your identity in the workplace starts with being aware and connected to who you are, where you come from, and all that you have to offer- in short, it starts with self-knowledge.
To know yourself is to take time to reflect and be curious about the experiences that have shaped your perspectives and dispositions. It requires a level of self-awareness that is extremely beneficial when trying to navigate the workplace.
Corporate dynamics can be difficult to master, especially for individuals with multicultural and underrepresented identities. Not only are there written and established codes of conduct, but there are also unspoken rules that you have to pick up on your own.
Navigating these nuances while staying true to your identity can be tricky but necessary to make and maintain authentic connections at work. Let’s discuss what it means to own your story and why doing so can help you find more success and happiness in any corporate space.
You Can’t Claim It if You Don’t Know It
Your life story, a culmination of your entire history on this earth, is also referred to as your “narrative identity.” It is composed of all the experiences, events, relationships, and choices that brought you to where you are now. No one else in the world shares the exact same narrative identity as you. It is wholly yours and absolutely unique.
Figuring out or documenting your narrative identity can be daunting. After all, you’ve experienced a TON of things. I recommend beginning by reflecting on your early life. If you were a superhero, this would be your origin story. Where are you from? Who are your parents, and where are they from? What values did they pass on to you? What are the experiences that shaped you?
Reflecting on the emotional impact of meaningful experiences is another way to explore and gain self-knowledge. Strong emotions can stick with us and influence our behaviors long after the moment has passed. Think about instances that made you feel either inherently good or bad. Consider times you felt angry or joyous or proud. Look back on your greatest successes, as well as times you faced failure.
Combine the Past and the Present to Create Your Future
Once you’ve reflected on your personal history, you can start to better understand yourself as you show up at work. Perhaps your family’s values shine through in the way you get things done. If you were taught as a child, “Just do your work, and don’t make waves,” that’s likely the way that you continue to operate to this day.
Once you can see the connections between your experiences and your actions today, you can start to adjust. Knowing how you came to develop your strengths can allow you to lean into them even further. Understanding the roots of your less positive traits can help you unlearn behaviors that aren’t serving you any longer. Having a thorough understanding of your story empowers you to write your next chapter with intention.
Own Your Story in a Crowded Room
So, you’ve taken the time to explore your history and past experiences more deeply. You can see how those experiences influence the way you are today…now what? Time to own it by sharing it with others. The best way to better understand what makes us unique is to share ourselves with others who differ from us.
Through engaging with people who are unlike you, you can begin to see and understand all the things that make you unique. Your unique perspective is valuable and can only be utilized when shared openly. The history and experiences of your life have melded to make you the uniquely capable human that you are. Don’t be afraid to share them.
Create Common Ground
In addition to identifying what makes you unique, sharing your story with others also shines a light on what you have in common. This creates the foundation of lasting connections. You might also find that you have a lot more in common with others than you might’ve guessed.
When we see commonalities in others, it’s far easier to connect. Because of this, we’re more likely to build positive relationships with them based on empathy and mutual respect. Working relationships built on a strong base like this are likely to have less conflict, more collaboration, and greater impact over time.