Aleen, thank you so much for this insight! It's such a delicate balance between staying true to who we are while also navigating the expectations of new environments, especially after an acquisition. I completely agree that authenticity is a huge asset in leadership, and the key is learning how to bring that authenticity into professional spaces while also growing as a leader. Your point about humor being a defense mechanism versus a way to connect really hit home for me. It’s so easy to use humor to downplay achievements, but practicing sitting in the silence and letting the moment breathe sounds like an invaluable tool for growth. I also love your advice to get more concrete feedback before making any changes. Sometimes it’s easy to take feedback personally, but understanding the intent behind it is essential. This is such a helpful perspective—thank you for sharing!
Aleen, thank you so much for this insight! It's such a delicate balance between staying true to who we are while also navigating the expectations of new environments, especially after an acquisition. I completely agree that authenticity is a huge asset in leadership, and the key is learning how to bring that authenticity into professional spaces while also growing as a leader. Your point about humor being a defense mechanism versus a way to connect really hit home for me. It’s so easy to use humor to downplay achievements, but practicing sitting in the silence and letting the moment breathe sounds like an invaluable tool for growth. I also love your advice to get more concrete feedback before making any changes. Sometimes it’s easy to take feedback personally, but understanding the intent behind it is essential. This is such a helpful perspective—thank you for sharing!