In Episode #123 of The Executive Commute, Jayson Krause is joined by Level 52 executive coach and facilitator Nimrat Dhariwal to explore belonging, what creates it inside organizations, and why the most important place to begin may be with yourself.

Nimrat traces her relationship with belonging from childhood in Kenya, through adolescence in England, and into her career in Canada. Experiences of being treated as an outsider shaped how she entered teams and workplaces, even when an organization was creating strong conditions for inclusion. She explains how internal mental models, imposter syndrome, and the need for external validation can keep people from feeling that they belong.

Jayson and Nimrat unpack the reciprocal nature of belonging, the role leaders play in making different perspectives safe to share, and how trust, standards, favourites, and informal networks can shape who feels included. They also explore the tension between proving yourself and believing you are inherently worthy, and why Nimrat now enters new spaces assuming she belongs rather than waiting for permission.

The conversation also turns to values alignment, knowing when it may be time to leave an organization, misplaced loyalty, self-care, reverse mentoring, sensing the culture you are in, and the daily practices leaders can use to regulate themselves under pressure.

Content note: This episode includes discussion of racism and racial slurs.

Episode timestamps:

00:00 Why belonging has shaped Nimrat's life

02:01 From software engineering to leading people

03:25 Why inclusion alone may not create belonging

05:45 Understanding imposter syndrome

07:39 Skill gaps, purpose, and feeling like an outsider

09:41 Can diversity and belonging coexist?

10:40 Favourites, informal networks, and whose voice gets heard

13:11 What belonging actually means

14:37 Why belonging has to be reciprocal

18:40 Do you need to prove yourself every day?

23:23 The shift from proving yourself to inherent belonging

26:04 Why self-belonging comes first

28:40 Growth without constantly fixing yourself

31:21 Belonging inside a merit-based organization

34:05 How to know when it is time to leave

36:05 Loyalty to an organization vs. loyalty to yourself

39:31 From external validation to choosing to belong

41:34 Helping younger professionals find their voice

43:32 Reverse mentoring across generations

44:51 The worst advice about belonging

46:03 Learning to sense a team's culture

47:24 How leaders can read and shape a system

49:49 The choice to believe you belong

51:25 The invisible force behind leadership

53:30 Building the practice of self-regulation

54:55 Final reflection: belong to yourself first

Prefer to watch? Find the full video episode of The Executive Commute on the Level 52 Inc. YouTube channel.

Learn more about Nimrat Dhariwal: https://www.level52.ca/about/

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