Listen to your intuition when it tells you something is off. No matter what someone says, if in doubt, believe their behavior.

Values are visible. What you see is what you get. Words and actions should align. And when they don’t, get curious about the unspoken story of what’s really going on.

The same is worth considering for yourself too. Where are you most vulnerable to allowing an alignment gap between your words and actions?

This guide helps you engage in conversation about the value of compassion. Through stories and insights, you can see how compassion reinforces trust, well-being, and conflict resolution. In these ways, compassion is important to the experience of belonging in a group, community, or organization.

Visionary work is often shadowed by self-doubt and marked by criticism. Even as you show up brave in your world, you’re still human.

So, name your fears and scars. Exhale them. Pray them. Write them down.

Then flip the page and make a list of your strengths, your community, your why. And carry on.

This guide is for everyone who believes that gender equity matters in the workplace and wants to move toward it on their journey in Christian faith. You will find insights and questions to help identify where you are on your journey and discern your next steps.

As you find your voice and value it, two things begin to happen:

1. You gain the confidence to speak up about what matters most to you.

2. You learn to recognize what no longer deserves your attention.

And, the second thing gives you the freedom to focus even more on the first thing. Double win.

Everyone influences the culture of an organization. There’s no such thing as neutral participation. Our experience of gender equity will rise or fall on the way we engage in teamwork and leadership.

Imagine instead where your current path will take you if you do nothing.

Now imagine who you could become and what you might be doing a year from now if you could only find a way.

What’s your next step to finding a way?

Growth in belonging always involves trade-offs. To gain something, you must also let go of something.

Gain connection, let go of pretense. Gain awareness, let go of excuses. Gain commitment, let go of options. Gain faith, let go of certainty and thinking you have all the answers.

This guide helps you engage in conversation about the value of teamwork. As you better understand and appreciate others’ perspectives, your experience of belonging is strengthened. You are more likely to communicate openly and work inclusively to accomplish goals.

Sometimes speed is the enemy of collaboration — at least at first. It takes time and intention to learn new relationships and skills.

You might be tempted to think you can’t adjust the pace. But more often than not, hustle and hurry are self-inflicted.

Would people at your table would be better off with less time pressure? Then consider what choices are affecting your pace. What might you need to reset, perhaps only temporarily, to build teamwork that will go the distance?

Niceness is a word often used to clip someone’s wings. It’s a poor substitute for loving the world—for standing up, speaking up, and taking action.

Better words are honest, smart, savvy, passionate, brave, true—all of which you can express in your own unique way.

Because, wouldn’t you rather fly? And give everyone around you room to spread their wings too?

Stress and trauma can affect how we show up at work, sometimes with gendered implications. Listen here for the benefit of your own growth and for a greater understanding of those you work with.

Over time, how you show up in the world becomes what people learn to expect of you — no matter whether you are showing up fully as yourself or as an edited version.

Ditto for what you learn to expect of others.

So, when you’re involved in a collaboration with people who are showing up in new ways, prepare to be surprised. Perhaps even frustrated or a little off balance. That’s to be expected.

Without judgment or shame, acknowledge what is happening. Give yourself and others room to practice and become better.

You’re not too young, too middling, too old, too little, too much, too anything. You are you, discovering your own unique story and journey.

Approach the work of belonging with curiosity, not judgment. Allow grace for lessons learned the hard way. Invest in life-giving relationships. And above all, be fully present wherever you are.

We know change isn’t easy. As you guide the journey of change toward gender equity, it is helpful to identify the sources of resistance.

Appreciation is an antidote to envy.

Imagine you’re in a gallery of people you admire. Why are you drawn to their work and life? What details do you notice? Can you guess how many experiments and failures it took to achieve the result you see? What questions would you ask them if you got the chance?

Narcissistic behaviors and gender biases both affect the power dynamics in our relationships and workplaces. Sometimes they happen simultaneously and create layers of confusion. Healing is worthy work.

Often we experience situations—including workplace gender dynamics—that reveal tensions around our values.

These cards spark reflection and conversation to help us clarify our core values and put them into practice.

There’s a common complaint among some who hold an advantage in society: They are tired of hearing conversations about gender, race, or other topics of similar concern.

People on the underside of unfair treatment are tired too. But they’re tired of living it, not merely hearing about it.

The best self-care starts on the inside — knowing what you really need and not settling for a substitute that fells good in the moment but ultimately leaves you empty.

Knowing what you need takes curiosity and sometimes courage. Sometimes it’s easy to see, sometimes not. Either way, you are worth it. This work is worth it. And this work needs you. So take good care of you.