Don't start nothin', won't be nothin'.
I am Latina and I have to balance some of who-I-am with who-I-am-in-the-work-place. At home, I’ve been described as mean (not proud of it though).
Not okay at work.
There are times I’m called out or challenged at work and that is okay. Totally healthy, I can grow from this and having other opinions is part of being a leader. But there are times when there are actions behind my back or people not doing the work to justify what they are saying. I’m not trying to say I am smarter or better than anyone but I am saying that I have the curiosity and do my best to understand all sides of an issue.
And when I’m challenged on my homework and well-rounded understanding of something (and coming at me behind my back), then yeah, I’m putting the guards up but no one is taking me down. My mama taught me better than that. I’m coming with receipts, I’m coming with the who, what, where, why, when, and I’m coming with what have you done? Because talk is cheap.
The (figurative) knives are out.