TJKCB

TJKCB

reciprocity, not transactions, rooted in mutual care commitment

TJKCB (2025-06-22 16:10:04) 评论 (0)
Western professionalism was never built for people like me.


As a Lakota professional, I’ve often found myself navigating systems that weren’t designed to see, hear, or understand me.

Yes, there are universal expectations—like respect and collaboration—that foster inclusive work environments. But “professionalism,” in its Western form, often clashes with Indigenous ways of being. I don’t have the luxury of code-switching into something I’m not. My appearance, my voice, and my values don’t benefit from the traditional rules of corporate culture—and they never will.

I see the posts offering the “Top 10 Things Every Professional Should Do.” But often, those tools aren’t made for me or people like me.

I am centered in my Lakota ways:

Instead of transactional networking, I build reciprocal relationships—rooted in trust, relatedness, and shared responsibility.

Instead of chasing individual success, I work for collective impact—with an eye toward generations ahead.

Instead of linear planning, I lead with a whole-systems perspective—where everything is connected, and every action has consequence.

Here are 3 things I’ve learned to do differently:

1. Lead with authenticity, and overcome assimilation in Western professionalism. When I bring my whole self to the work, it creates space for others to do the same.

2. Build with reciprocity, not transactions. True impact comes from relationships rooted in mutual care and commitment—not quick wins.

3. Plan with generations in mind.

My work is accountable not just to metrics, but to ancestors and future relatives.

Western professionalism didn’t give me a manual—but Indigenous knowledge gave me a compass. And that’s how I lead. 
以下是我學到的三件與眾不同的事：
 
1. 以真誠引領，克服西方專業主義的同化。當我全心投入工作時，就能為他人創造空間，讓他們也能這樣做。
 
2. 以互惠互利而非交易為基礎。真正的影響力源自於根植於相互關懷和承諾的關係，而非速效。
 
3. 為世代傳承而規劃。
我的工作不僅要對指標負責，也要對祖先和未來的親人負責。
 
西方的專業主義沒有給我一本手冊，但原住民的知識給了我一個指南針。這就是我的領導方式。


hashtagIndigenousLeadership hashtagDecolonizeProfessionalism hashtagLakotaProfessionals hashtagAuthenticLeadership hashtagSystemsThinking hashtagReciprocity hashtagLinkedInNative
Shengwen Calvin Li, PhD,FRSB,FRSM,FSX,EICView Annette Simmons’ graphic link
 
Wakinyan: Yes the mainstream of business was not created for myself as well. Although I grew up in Phoenix AZ & attended white schools I did not fit into the systems. It is why I am an Dine' independent film_video maker. Making videos & writing fictional screenplay stories, poems, short pieces can be very creative; yet very technical. To raise money is hard to do. The mainstream systems in U.S. & Canada in film_tv_streaming, but not all, can be so very out of it_ultra conservative for me. I did not learn my Dine' bizaad_Dine' language growing up like the rest of my age group. I kept up Dine' bizaad_ language through zoom language classes since 2020 til now. It is better. Feels good. With yah, your expression. Ahe' hee.' Thank you.


 
 
 
 
 
 
Thank you for putting these heart felt words into print. It can be tiresome to explain starting points and trajectories, and find that I thrive wholly when the compass in my heart does not need to defend this way of being in the worklplace.