I'm Not Difficult To Work With, I'm Just An Introvert
Introvert struggles? Even Issa Rae can relate
So can I —in a world where it feels like being 'out there' in the centre of attention is the only way to progress, being introverted is sometimes branded as something that can hold you back. This is especially the case if you're introverted, it can be easily misconstrued as unfriendly, not willing to collaborate and so much more.
This comes at a double penalty if you're from an underrepresented group in the West, Inside Voices explains in this video. Black women especially are perceived as being unhelpful or unfriendly if they don't live up to the 'sassy loud' stereotype.
So what's the solution? We've got 3 points to start
1) Play to your strengths — that means if you're not the loudest person in the room, but you're someone who notices trends before anyone else (for example), lean into it. The strength in teams comes from a diverse range of skills, so emphasise what you do really well... even if it isn't talking all the time.
2) Be flexible, but don't change who you are — there's a lot that both introverts and extroverts can learn from each other. It helps to speak up more, but authenticity is one of the most important ways to build long-lasting trust, so pretending never pays off in the long run. Susan Cain's epic TED talk celebrates the power of introverts in the world.
3) Identify your supporters, sponsors and allies — there will be people in the workplace who just *get you*. They gravitate towards who you are, and they will be able to advocate for you in rooms where people are just getting to know you. Invest in those relationships, they pay off (NB. These people are rarely your direct line managers. If you're dealing with an especially tough manager, it might be a sign to leave the organisation).
Happy Lunar New Year!🧧🐅
February is truly a month of celebration, we love to see it 🥳 It's officially the Lunar New Year, and we've entered the year of the Water Tiger! In the words of Asian-founded beauty brand YINA:
"Tigers in Chinese Astrology have a daring nature. They are strong-willed, energetic, lucky, unconventional, courageous, competitive, honest, and dedicated when charged with Qi." — learn more about what this means for us here.
Celebrating Black History being made now 🇺🇸✊🏾
Happy Black History Month to our US family! This month we wanted to focus on Black History being made right now, instead of historical trauma — that includes the Black-founded businesses raising millions in venture capital (still rare, but slow progress is better than no progress) and the Black VCs supporting the work. Celebrate with us on Instagram.
Sidenote to all businesses and brands reaching out to Black talent this month — give us generous timelines (this is a month for rest, not rushing) and find the budget to pay for our time. It's only right.