You are unique. You’re different. That’s great.

However, being different can sometimes be challenging.

This doesn’t just refer to the physical characteristics, but maybe because you are very talented or you have a different pace or you just have a different perception than the team. Being different has many faces.

From time to time thoughts come to us, especially if we have already experienced rejection. E.g. will I be accepted? Can I say something? What if they don’t see and acknowledge me? Do I really have to participate in everything to be accepted?

In an interview with Christine Eschelbeck, we talked about exactly that. How can we still achieve a positive effect:https://www.youtube.com/embed/VS47zMGtR8c?feature=oembed

I summarize these 10 possibilities for you here:

1. Accept your being different. Don’t fight it. Be yourself and love your uniqueness.
2. Find out what your strengths are and your weaknesses. Focus on your strengths . Don’t work on your weaknesses, that takes too much strength and energy away from you. Rather strengthen your strengths and complement diverse teams in a positive way. It is worth taking the first step on topics that are important to you. A pioneering role is an exciting role. If you’re different anyway, you can’t break much. Use it for yourself and dare!
3. Find allies . Try to associate with people with whom you can achieve success quickly, because that way you don’t have to do a lot of convincing. From there you get the energy to keep going.
4. Be wary of people, friends, etc. who only feel sorry for you . That’s okay for a while. But in the long run we need people who show us a different perspective so that we don’t feel too sorry for ourselves, e.g. B. after a rejection, sink. People who tell us “look at it this way…” or “maybe they didn’t realize it” or “are you sure or just assuming.”
5. Don’t think for others and don’t generalize . Just because you’ve already had a rejection from one person doesn’t mean everyone is like that. E.g. «All are German, all Swiss, all Kenyans…or all superiors are…» Give everyone a chance.
6.  When someone makes a comment that is very derogatory, it’s usually not considered . As such, you shouldn’t take it personally. This is usually his own reflection and has nothing to do with you. If it really hurts you and you don’t want to ignore a comment like that, ask that person to repeat it all over again. play dumb Just by repeating it, if the person dares, they will notice how well it goes down.
7. «Choose your fights well» Not all rejections have something to do with you personally. If something is important to you, it’s worth asking for feedback to find out what it really is. Many rejection reasons are not statements about you. Even if it hurts at first. Don’t belittle yourself with these statements. Not all statements are relevant.
8. Clarify mutual expectations , for example with your manager or with your business partners beforehand. E.g. «Not that you expect me to speak perfect German». That shows commitment and the person will always stand by you. Learn from previous rejections and situations for next projects, for life.
9. Stand by yourself and your values . Don’t seek your happiness from outside. Build your mental fortress for your inner success. Don’t take every comment seriously. Have a laugh every now and then. Irrelevant remarks just bounce off you.
10. Consciously change perspective and put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Take the time to understand the true fear of the other person: “What is it really about” is the question we should answer.

In the business context, we are sometimes tempted to reject others before they reject us, or we even tend to unconsciously “reciprocate.” It is important that we are aware of this and that we practice self-reflection so that we do not do the same to others. Let’s give others space and space to complement each other. Each in its uniqueness.

Stephen Covey describes his 5th way “First understand, then be understood” so powerfully. The same would apply here in my opinion.

Accept yourself and others before you expect others to accept you.

Susan Omondi, May 2021

Do you have anything else to add? I am curious.

Yours

Susan Omondi

05/16/2021

#diversity #unique #courage #story #inspire