63. How Embracing Your Cultural Identity Creates [Career] Opportunities with Valentina Lwin Bailey and Prina Shah

How Embracing Your Cultural Identity Creates [Career] Opportunities

Have you overlooked aspects of your cultural identity or lived experience that could add value to the conversations and workplace around you?

Do you find yourself holding back or feeling uncomfortable sharing and connecting to your background because of negative or passive past experiences?

What are some reasons that people in your workplace might not speak up and share their lived experience?

What is the difference between presence and inclusion, when it comes to diversity in the workplace?

About today’s episode:

Today I chat with Valentina Lwin Bailey. Valentina is a workplace culture coach, experienced in organisational development, talent management and employee engagement for large and complex organisations. She was born in Myanmar (Burma), raised in Australia and is currently residing in Saudi Arabia.

I speak with Valentina about: How embracing your Cultural Identity Creates Career Opportunities.

Valentina talks about diversity in the workplace and how she attracted career opportunities by embracing her cultural identity.

Our conversation touches on:

Why it can be a challenge for people who are culturally and linguistically diverse to be themselves in the workplace.
How embracing your cultural identity and lived or shared experience can positively impact others.
Valentina shares her experience of heritage-tracing and racial biography.
How she attracted career opportunities by embracing her cultural identity.
I share my own perspective on embracing my culture in the workplace.
Cultivating a workplace culture of inclusion in decision making.
Bringing your whole self to work.
And listen in to Valentina’s answer to my question: if you had a magic wand, what is one way you would change the workplace? Here she shares what may be one of my favourite insights and quotes related to cultural diversity in the workplace!

About today’s guest: Valentina is a workplace culture coach, experienced in organisational development, talent management and employee engagement for large and complex organisations. She is a Senior Consultant with Great Place to Work ANZ & ASEAN. She was born in Myanmar, raised in Australia and is currently residing in Saudi Arabia. In her spare time, she mentors and coaches young professionals and women in the areas of HR, management and career planning.

Resources and links: Connect with Valentina and learn more about your host Prina...

Learn more about your host Prina Shah and the Ways to Change the Workplace Movement!