Belonging is more than 'fitting in'
“When people feel they belong, they stop wasting energy trying to fit in - and start using it to contribute.” Owen Eastwood, Belonging
Belonging is more than 'fitting in'.
It’s about feeling seen, heard, valued - and safe enough to show up as your full self.
When belonging is present:
• engagement and performance increase
• resilience and retention strengthen
• people feel safe to speak up, contribute, and grow
• wellbeing and psychological safety are supported
Belonging isn’t “soft work”.
It’s strategic, intentional, and deeply human.
For Executive Assistants and the leaders we support, if you want people to thrive - not just stay...belonging must be foundational.
That means:
• prioritising psychological safety
• enabling people to bring their whole selves
• investing in meaningful connection, formal and informal
• recognising contribution and creating space for voice
Belonging shapes culture.
And culture shapes everything.
This is why EAs in Education exists. Within school environments, Executive Assistants often sit at the centre of daily life in schools - yet may not always experience the same sense of belonging they work so hard to create for others.
As we navigate the beginning of the 2026 school year, my aspiration is simple and deliberate: that every member feels a genuine sense of belonging within this community.
This year, we lead with belonging.
