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The world that we live in has steadily progressed to a society that is beginning to understand and appreciate the various shapes and styles that people embody, creating more and more equal opportunities in business and professional culture. Though there are still many barriers to break down and more gaps to narrow, the most important step that can be taken is to find the support and the courage not to hide one’s personal identity in one’s work life. It is not a simple thing to ask, and there are those who will close doors based on their own prejudices, but this book aims to empower its readers to identify the unique qualities and perspectives they have to offer and prepare them to honestly present that realized self in a way that will improve their own mental health while making their organization more well-rounded and capable.
The author shares her personal story about being a sole income earner and having to make hard decisions about hiding her family history, racial background, and even her motherhood in order to compete in a demanding corporate law environment. While she was able to find success, the personal toll silently weighed her down more and more until it reached a point that demanded her attention. Within these pages, other successful entrepreneurs and influential business thinkers corroborate with their own life stories about how they were not only able to be successful but to do so in a way that was authentic to how they saw themselves, knocking down the adversities along the way. With the goal in mind of promoting how one can show the world the self that one identifies with and doing so in a way that is collaborative yet honest, this book illustrates how business culture can stand to change in a way that celebrates the individual’s uniqueness and creates camaraderie among workers who until now may have felt the need to remain silent.
At first glance, one might expect this book to appeal to a specific kind of person going through a specific life circumstance. However, there is value here to be had for readers of any background. Even beyond the empathy and understanding that comes from another person’s perspective, the author helpfully provides suggestions at the end of each chapter for management to welcome employees to be unafraid to bring their true selves to work, as well as offering interactive segments that help readers identify places where they can take action to live their own truths. Though this is in many ways a business book, the personal stories included and the very nature of the subject material itself make it a valuable read for anyone in any kind of social environment to understand the diversity that may be hiding in plain sight.
Those actionable moments are what elevate this book beyond being a merely inspirational story. Readers will follow along with the author’s decisions to sacrifice bits of herself in order to succeed and may be inspired to follow that same path, then to be immediately presented with small, gradual ways to start changing now. The expectation is to get readers to a place where they are comfortable and even acknowledge that everyone’s financial needs and employment situation might not allow them the freedom to make big changes. That level of compassion and understanding permeates the entire book and creates a space that allows for self-reflection, forgiveness, and grace. A book like this is useful in virtually any industry or walk of life and has something to offer each and every reader.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review
A 2024 Eric Hoffer Book Award Category Finalist