This week at I Am Here, we’re asking: What does it really mean to bring your whole self to work?
- How many of us show up at work as a slightly edited version of ourselves?
- What does it cost people, quietly and over time, to keep parts of themselves hidden?
- What kind of culture do we need to create before people genuinely feel safe enough to stop hiding parts of themselves?
Most workplaces say they want people to show up fully. And most people, if we are being honest with ourselves, hold something back.
It might be how we speak, how we dress, or which parts of our lives we neglect to mention on a Monday morning. For many of us, the version of ourselves we bring to work is a carefully edited one.
Not because we’re being dishonest. Because we’ve learned, over time, that not all of ourselves feels welcome.
This week, we’re thinking about what acceptance really looks like in practice.
What Are We Watching This Week?
This week, we’re watching The Myth of Bringing Your Full, Authentic Self to Work by Jodi-Ann Burey, a writer and speaker working at the intersections of identity, culture, and health equity.
In this TED Talk, Jodi-Ann asks a question worth sitting with: who actually gets to bring their full self to work? And what does it cost the people for whom doing so feels genuinely risky?
It’s honest and thought-provoking.
A worthwhile watch.
Watch the full talk (15-minute watch)
What Are We Reading This Week?
This week, we’re reading Code-switching: How BAME and LGBT people ‘blend in’ from BBC Newsbeat.
It’s a short, honest piece built around real voices. Personal trainer Shaina West describes code-switching as something almost automatic, adjusting her speech and mannerisms at work so she feels approachable and avoids subtle judgement. Student Tom Haire describes showing up as a “downplayed version” of himself, not because he’s ashamed of who he is, but because it’s simply easier.
What stays with you is how ordinary it all sounds. Not dramatic. Just the daily work of making yourself a little more palatable to the room.
Most of us have done some version of this. The question worth asking is: What kind of culture makes code-switching feel necessary?
Read the article (3-minute read)
Who Are We Quoting This Week?
“‘Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”
– Dolly Parton
At I Am Here, Acceptance is one of our five CLEAR skills. Acceptance means creating space for people to be genuine, to be different, and to feel that their presence is valued rather than just tolerated.
When people feel that kind of acceptance at work, they contribute more freely. Help-seeking and help-offering also flourish, which is not only good for Teams, but good for business.