About the Author - Unwavering
Rejecting Bias, Igniting Change, Celebrating Inclusion
By Nellie Borrero
‘So, what does a sense of belonging look and feel like to me? It’s a space where I feel safe and I interpret others in the room to be welcoming of me, where I can let my guard down and feel at ease’ – Nellie Borrero, UNWAVERING
That very statement is why I wrote Unwavering. Throughout my corporate journey, finding that sense of ease was challenging. Requiring me to instead become intimately familiar with courage, grit and resilience. Each, providing me with opportunities to evolve and have a clear understanding that I must choose to own my career journey, claim my earned space, and show up unapologetically.
Waiting for permission was culturally ingrained in me: Did I ask for permission? Did I get the permission? Who gave me permission? When working within the corporate environment, many of us show up waiting for permission to claim our space or we wait to be told that we have power. We have trepidation about negotiating and advocating for what we have earned. We impose this extra level of responsibility on ourselves, feeling that we need to be 110% perfect all of the time. When we reach executive and leadership levels, we are expected to make complicated decisions without constantly consulting our own leadership. If we fail to take risks on our own or confidently lead, we become those executives who fail to add value independently or position ourselves effectively. At some point, we need to pause and ask ourselves if this behavior sounds familiar. If so, how may it be impacting your professional journey.
Tired of feeling excluded and marginalized, I decided to shed some belief systems and embrace new ones. Feeding myself a new internal dialogue was a welcomed game changer. My narrative became one of… ‘can do’ ‘will do’ ‘why not me.’ I asked myself, “What is working for me? ‘What is not working for me,’ ‘what needs to work for me.’
Insisting to be heard, seen, and valued required a shift as to how I was engaging. I acknowledged that absolutely the corporate setting I was operating in needed to evolve in creating a culture of belonging, but I also needed to own what I had control over – and that was, how I was choosing to interact. Let’s look at some ways by which we limit ourselves and our ability to confidently claim our earned space:
Being overly gracious, grateful, and accommodating to others
Apologizing for our own perspective (even when we know we are right)
Giving up opportunities we have earned to others
Not boldly promoting ourselves, our skills, or our expertise
Expecting or accepting limited investment from leaders in our professional development and alignment to opportunities
Choosing to take an inactive stance when devalued
Feeling concerned about being perceived as too ambitious
UNWAVERING is transparent, raw, and authentic. Showcasing a road map to navigate corporate cultures; encouraging everyone to step out of their comfort zones and confidently step into full potential.
‘Let your ambition take up space. Know yourself and bet on yourself.’ -- Nellie Borrero, UNWAVERING