As we watch courageous, chaotic, and committed discourse worldwide, othering's impact becomes painfully clear. What is the common denominator for all these events: college campus protests in the US, Muslim houses of worship in India, election unrest in South Africa, hostage-taking in Israel, Gaza, Russia, Afghanistan, Iran, and so many more places, multiple locations where war and alleged genocide occurs? Our conversations normalize othering, compromising our ability to discern what's happening and absent our preferences and biases. Fear abounds today, motivating a belief that the world is evolving and there won't be a place for us. We fear being othered and other in response. Our pain is real: emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual. It's no wonder we think transformation is hard. We are disposed to resist, even when our outrage channels into protests and demonstrations calling for change. The irony in our thinking that change and transformation mean scrapping everything and starting anew produces paralyzing tension. What can break through? 

A remarkable interview on CBS Sunday Morning with Dan Rather, Jr., an American journalist, commentator, and former national evening news anchor, at age 92, continuing to bring a sane voice in our time of seeming insanity. At a time when learning about the world as it is, to both comprehend and understand what's happening, our faith in journalists and journalism to report on the most significant events has fallen dramatically. The groundswell of optimism and appreciation that flooded X and Substack suggests that many are seeking refuge, a time to pause, pull back from the inflamed emotions, and find their way to a clear-eyed reflection. As Dan shared in the interview, "Real news is what somebody somewhere – particularly somebody in power – doesn't want you to know. That's news." One primary source of othering occurs because somebody somewhere wants power over, again ironically. After all, they, too, feel the effect of being othered. 

The Othering & Belonging conference convened in late April, and once again, john a. powell, who leads the UC Berkeley Othering & Belonging Institute and holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor's Chair in Equity and Inclusion, Professor of Law and Professor of African American Studies and Ethics Studies, provoked deep thought in me, and inspired our leadership team to read this new book release, Belonging without Othering: How We Save Ourselves and the World, April 2024. During a live conversation with NPR host of  Latino USA, Maria Hinajosa, a leading journalist, force of nature, and 2023 Edward R. Murrow Award winner, john and Maria explored several critical themes for how we can all break through to belonging. I hope each of you finds one more idea to adopt and practice daily, starting now and forever. 

• Remember we have a yearning; we want, need, and have to belong, based on being human and the innate connectivity as human beings from birth.

• We all know the 'isms,' and we make up new ones; these are radical ways to help othering, and conflict entrepreneurs capitalize on this. Stop making and speaking 'isms'.

• Belonging is a lot of things: power, agency, responsibility, love, and dignity, which occur through co-creating and co-owning.

• Humans are meaning-makers, and we seek someone to be at fault. Othering tells a story that breaks and blames to dissolve our discomfort. 

• This is another story we can adopt. We are changing, and we are in it together. We are curious to see, love, and care about each other; this is a bridging story.

• Belonging is the third level in Maslow's hierarchy. However, that could be incorrect today; belonging is first because you don't get safety or food without it!

• Belonging is an art that's been in our reality for millennia; we stay connected when we stay human. Please stay human with yourself and others.

Readers of the book From Tension to Transformation: A Leader's Guide to Generative Change comment most often about the frame offered for pause. "Pause gives more time than it takes." Let that sink in for a moment. When we fail to pause amid chaos, our actions react to something intense and usually fear-inducing. Our desire to protect ourselves and others kicks in and overrides taking in contradictory data and activating curiosity to learn and pull back for perspective. Pause, take a breath, round your shoulders and your head. These simple steps short-circuit reactions that disconnect us from our wholeness and innate capability to discern and think through with a learner's curiosity. Staying present and aware is the formula to avoid judgment, blaming, and disappointment that motivates othering. Allow belonging to be our intentional way to invite change for sustainable humanity. 

I invite you to pause and explore the variety of learning opportunities during International Coaching Week, May 13-19. We can all enjoy events with colleagues around the world, helping us remember we all belong on the planet.

Keep loving our life's work and enjoy each moment of May!

Janet