Clarifying Who You Are and How You Fit Into Your Organization

Looking for deeper meaning and real impact in your professional life? You’re not alone. Many professionals and leaders are reflecting on how their strengths, values, and roles align with the organizations they serve. This reflection is essential for sustainable leadership, team effectiveness, and long-term career fulfillment.

As an executive and career coach, I work with both individuals and organizations to create clarity, strengthen confidence, and build connection at work. One of the tools I use in my work as a career transition coach is narrative assessment, which helps people understand their strengths and explore how to use them with greater purpose.

Why Clarity About Strengths Matters

Even experienced professionals sometimes question what they’re truly good at. You might wonder whether you have the right skills for a new leadership role or feel uncertain about your place in a changing organization. These moments of doubt are natural, especially when you’re learning something new or stretching into unfamiliar territory.

Instead of labeling these feelings as “imposter syndrome,” I invite you to see them as part of a quest for clarity. You’re exploring how your strengths, interests, and values can best contribute to meaningful work and impact.

Common Triggers for Doubt

You might question your skills or fit because:

• You’ve recently been promoted and are adjusting to new leadership responsibilities.

• Your organization is evolving, and you’re adapting to new systems or expectations.

• You’re working with a new manager or team and trying to find your rhythm.

• You’re part of an underrepresented group and constantly feel the need to prove your value.

• You’ve received unclear or inconsistent feedback that’s shaken your confidence.

When these challenges arise, they can either drain your energy or serve as powerful catalysts for growth.

Using Storytelling to Build Confidence and Awareness

One of the most effective ways to build confidence and clarity is through storytelling. When you reflect on your experiences and name the strengths and qualities you used during your best moments, you reconnect with what makes you effective and resilient.

Try this simple exercise:

1. Think of a time when you were at your best — in your career, education, or community.

2. Identify the skills you used, such as analyzing data, communicating clearly, or leading a group.

3. Reflect on what you enjoyed most about the experience.

4. Consider the personal qualities that made it possible — creativity, empathy, curiosity, persistence.

5. Finally, ask yourself what this story reveals about how you can contribute and grow in your current role.

This approach, rooted in narrative career development, helps professionals build awareness and confidence while identifying new directions to explore.

Adopting a Strengths-Based Approach

When you lead with your strengths, you not only enhance your performance but also increase your engagement and satisfaction at work. Strengths-based leadership development encourages people to focus on what energizes them, learn from feedback, and find ways to use their talents more intentionally.

For organizations, supporting employees through coaching and assessment builds self-awareness and engagement across teams. It helps people see how their contributions fit into the bigger picture, creating alignment between personal purpose and organizational mission.

Building a Culture of Clarity and Connection

In my work with purpose-driven organizations, I often facilitate Who You Are Matters! — a structured conversation experience developed by OneLifeTools. Participants share micro-narratives, reflect on their experiences, and practice listening and providing feedback in a supportive setting.

These experiences help professionals connect more deeply, recognize each other’s strengths, and develop mutual trust. The result is stronger communication, greater collaboration, and higher engagement across teams.

Workshops like this are especially powerful for leadership teams, staff retreats, and professional development programs. They provide space for reflection and connection that can lead to lasting cultural impact.

Reflection for Professionals and Leaders

If you’re reflecting on your role or thinking about how to better fit within your organization, start with clarity. Ask yourself:

• What strengths do I bring that are most valuable right now?

• How do my values align with the organization’s mission?

• Where can I grow to increase my impact and influence?

Clarity builds confidence, and confidence creates momentum — both for individuals and organizations.

For Organizations

When teams understand their collective strengths and how they fit together, collaboration improves and innovation grows. Investing in coaching, reflection, and team-building experiences strengthens trust, retention, and engagement — essential elements of sustainable leadership.

If your organization is ready to create a more connected, confident, and purpose-driven culture, consider incorporating workshops or executive coaching to help your people thrive.

Clarity and Confidence in Your Work

Whether you’re a leader navigating change or a professional seeking more alignment in your role, clarity is the foundation for meaningful progress.

For organizational leaders: Explore workshops, leadership development programs, and executive coaching to help your people grow with purpose and connection.

For individual professionals: Learn more about personalized coaching plans designed to help you move forward with clarity, confidence, and impact.