It is time that we all have those tough conversations and also sharing our stories. Telling our stories correlate with the tough conversations. It is not going to be easy but must happen in order to move in the right direction.
I have been working on a project with Elena Valentine, Skill Scout CEO. It’s something that I am excited to be sharing with you all real soon. Elena put the following on Twitter:
Elena Valentine 🎬 Workplace Filmmaker 🎬 (@Elena_Valentine) Tweeted:
"You are worth the time to tell your story" - @allthingzap 🙏🏼
We all have our own story, whether you are black, brown, white, etc. Our sexual, social, ethnic, and cultural differences including cognitive abilities, interpersonal styles, and emotional reactivity, create and enrich our individual stories.
We all have our own stories to tell. My story entails my struggles and triumphs with coming out among other things that I will share in future blogs. For now, check out stories celebrating Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Adha is meant to remind Muslims of their faithfulness to Allah and each other, through Zakat, one of the five pillars of the religion that focuses on charity. Click here for Race/Related: Celebrating Eid al-Adha Amid a Pandemic.
I firmly believe having real, true and authentic discussions around our personal stories will decrease the racial tension our country faces. Having these conversations should not only be embraced into our personal lives, but also our professional ones. Organizations not only need to create time for employees to really get to know one another, but realize it is now an obligation. One never knows how much you relate to each other without knowing their story. Sharing and expressing our stories:
embraces inclusion
may diminish racism
breaks down biases
displays empathy
helps us connect with one another
creates discussions and helps to continue having conversations
stories stick with us and have true meaning in our relationships
Organizations know or are becoming aware that inclusive environments drive overall revenue. Research by Deloitte finds that organizations with inclusive cultures are:
Six times as likely to be innovative and agile
Eight times as likely to achieve better business results
Twice as likely to meet or exceed financial targets
Inclusion directly enhances performance by increasing work attendance, making high-quality decisions and behaving collaboratively at work.
It is also important to note that you do not have to be a public speaker or an extrovert to tell your story. When you tell your story, be you. For a number of years when I heard a speaker that was well polished and who I really liked and respected, I would try and think how I could sound like that person. If this is something you are doing, stop. I by no means am indicating not to watch or learn from other speakers - You should. But it essential that when you share your story; Be You!
After a number of years of self-reflection, I started sharing and speaking about my story and do this with my own voice and style.
Stay tuned for the following upcoming events:
I will be hosting my fourth webinar the third week of August at 7 PM EST where I’ll have a panel discussing the current racial environment. There will be a giveaway for an upcoming conference that is being held in October.
As indicated, there will be a video coming out shortly that I am working on with Elena with Skill Scout.