Name What Makes You Different

Dear Leader,?

What’s different about you? Name one thing.??

Identifying what makes you different is what will elevate your leadership and career impact.??

Is it a personality trait? An experience you’ve had???

I’ll go first to give you some inspiration:?

For 20+ years in my financial services career, Finka wasn’t my name...?

It was Josie.?

This all goes back to when my mom registered me for grade school. I remember her stopping me and asking, “Finka, do you want to change your name?”?

“Change my name?” I replied with surprise.?

She went on to explain that because my name was different—not like the English names here in Canada—it might be easier if I didn’t use my Croatian name.?

With her best intentions, my mom wanted to make life better for me. One way was to take something different—my name—and to change it to fit in.????

Think about how defining your name is.

It's the first thing you receive when you’re born, identifying you as you, yet there I was at six years old learning that I could change the most fundamental part of myself.?

Then, as life went on, there became two versions of me:?

• Josie: an ambitious, driven corporate professional and leader.?

• Finka: a playful and creative friend and family member at home.??

I learned to compartmentalize my differences by only showing parts of my personality, talents, and gifts to environments that deemed them most appropriate. I did this for approval, so I wouldn’t stand out or outshine others.?????

As you read my story, consider parts of you that you hide because they may not be accepted by others.?

Do you come up with ideas or solutions for problems at work, but worry that others won’t see it your way? Do you diminish certain characteristics and talents you bring to the table, saying, “This is no big deal. Everyone must see or think this,” so you dismiss it and don’t offer it up????

These are the differences I’m talking about; your personality, skills, experience, and expertise that would otherwise single you out as the only person thinking, feeling, or behaving in a particular way.????

Your Takeaway?

Yes, there’s a time and a place for compartmentalizing, but it’s important to be strategic about it, as you could be withholding something that dims your brilliance at work. So, as you enter a new week, I challenge you to think about this:?

Is there anything you’re not bringing to work that you, your team, and clients could benefit from? Which parts of your Brilliant Difference are you not currently leveraging that you can start to, to elevate your career and leadership impact??

I’ll leave that reflection with you.?

Yours truly,?

Finka?

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