Why is belonging such a critical concept right now?
I think for many of us, the dramatic shift over the past few years in how we’re living, working and leading has given rise to all kinds of new insights. With the increased spotlight on inclusion and equity, we’ve done some deep soul searching around who we are, what we want out of life, and how we want to work and lead going forward. What has been revealed is that for a long time, we haven’t felt accepted for who we are. We’ve struggled to be seen and to bring our differences to bear in our interactions — both in our personal and professional lives.
And what we’ve ultimately realized is that we’re searching for belonging. We want to be honoured for who we are. We want to feel seen, valued and respected for who we are. And belonging gives us a path to living a life that we can love.
About 15 years ago, you realized that