We’re celebrating Black History Month and this year I’m also celebrating my 5th anniversary as a 100% woman-owned small business. I still can’t believe 2023 marks 5 years as a thought leader and influencer in the pursuit of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging. Thank you for inviting me to be part of your journey, wherever you may be as an individual or as an organization.
This month reflects my Love for doing the work of helping organizations cultivate a culture of Belonging for all members.
When I say, “Keeping it Real,” it means being my authentic self and telling the real truth, but it also means keeping it respectful with people when I interact with them. My intent is not to convince, but to engage, learn, and facilitate conversations to convert that knowledge into action. So, reframing conversations from difficult to different is a first step with all my clients.
You may have heard me talk about this 3-step process before, but it bears repeating. To move forward in life, whether individually or at an organizational level, you must: 1) Change your frame; 2) change your focus so that you can 3) change your future. The work of Belonging that I do is to facilitate that process, so that the future of a person or an organization can be healthy and successful!
One of my clients, Rehrig Pacific Company, understands that this work cannot happen unless a few other things are in place: 1) Unless you’ve got a diverse group of talents, with 2) inclusive leadership that engages all those people and their talents, and 3) they feel that they belong at your organization, the rest of your goals will not really be achievable or sustainable. Belonging does not begin with blaming and shaming, but with creating a space where people can know and grow together.