THE ALPHABET OF BELONGING
The Book by Aga Sieradzka
Founder and BELONGING@WORK Strategist
With a deep understanding of workplace dynamics, Aga leads the efforts in revolutionizing work environments to prioritize employee connectedness, sense of belonging and organizational success.
As a personal coach and growth mentor, human-centric leader and innovation consultant, with two decades of strategic intercultural transformational expertise across five continents, she has tested in practice how interpersonal dynamics in work - in private and professional setting.
Her experience turned into authoring "The Alphabet of Belonging" book.
PRAISE for the BOOK
I read Aga's book a couple of months ago and highly enjoyed it. I loved her style, it is rich and entertaining, sometimes "twisted" in a positive way. It is an energizing, feel-good book. Especially of course for those interested in Belonging. Aga analyzes the existential need of Belonging in detail.
The ABC part of her book provides alphabetically structured learning nuggets.
As an intercultural trainer, I see Belonging in the same word and concept cluster as culture, loyalty, boundaries, identity, rules. As a practitioner of systemic and family constellations , Belonging is of utmost importance as it is often challenged when we need to balance between loyalty and growth.
Belonging issues are existential issues, however we tend not to be aware of these.
Aga's book addresses the various challenges related with Belonging .
BRUNA TOUBIA / OUTSTEP / Intercultural Consultant
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As you can guess, the book talks about Belonging.
What it is, or what it can be. How it happens. What happens when it is missing. How it connects with life. What limits it. What helps it expanding. In “The Alphabet of Belonging”, what Aga has brought into life is creating two books in one: first, a research-based book – one that describes the depth of investigation done in that field – and the second one: a new alphabet.
This is a unique section that organizes and interlinks several different concepts, giving a more practical approach to how one could experience belonging or design experiences for others in ways that facilitates or develops it.
Each part can be read or skipped by the reader without the feeling of missing something. That way it is embracing a broader audience, its readers at least three different reasons to be with this book: learn about something, put something into practice, or doing both.
In the Alphabet, a few things really help with the reading:
🍀 the organization, because our brains love it;
🍀 the diversity of themes, because it makes it interesting;
🍀 the "interviews", because it keeps it real;
🍀 the exercises/practices, because it connects with action.
EDUARDO dos SANTOS SILVA / Personal Development Coach/
Blog Writer ""Book Recommendations”
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We often ask ourselves "why" - why we do what we do, why we spend our time and energy in certain ways. Along the way, at certain crossroads, we also face the question of belonging. Belonging matters deeply. It determines whether it is worthwhile to devote our time, energy and emotions to something (job, career, education, friendship...) - or to certain people.
"The Alphabet of Belonging" explores this question from a unique perspective that I believe is particularly relevant at this reflective time of year. Her insights provide a helpful lens for understanding connection - both with ourselves and with others - while sharing inspiring stories along the way.
I personally appreciate her section on WHY: "To know yourself is to know your purpose. Purpose gives meaning to your daily actions. Purpose and meaning drive our aspirations and identity. Understanding our purpose helps us live more intentionally and develop a true sense of belonging - because belonging matters. It is what allows us to feel happiness, contentment and meaning in our lives.
XUAN DUNG BURCKHARDT / XD FLOW Founder / HR Leader
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NAME / JOB / TITLE
“22222.DOUBLE CLICK HERE OR CLICK EDIT TEXT TO ADD SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR SERVICES"
"The Alphabet of Belonging" is a beautifully written and deeply thoughtful book that offers profound insights into the meaning of belonging and its many dimensions. With warmth and wisdom, the author encourages reflection on one’s own life, making the reading experience both personal and enlightening. The book resonates deeply, confirming lived experiences while opening new perspectives. Thoughtfully crafted and engaging, it is a true gift for anyone seeking to understand connection, identity, and the essence of belonging. A must-read for those who appreciate deep, reflective, and inspiring literature.
NICOLE SCHMITZ / Agile Coach
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"The Alphabet of Belonging" will quickly resonate with those who ever experienced living abroad and the remoteness of that life. In her book, Aga enables you to ask questions and challenge your own answers. It is when you live the different cultures and compare such realities, then the idea of belonging wanders in your mind much stronger. Belonging is a social construct, and it is on us to shape it and nurture in the way we feel good wherever we are.
However, we must remain not too comfortable: be open to changes and new reinventions of ourselves, crafting a new better version.
The feeling [of belonging] could be a mixture of elements, it can be linked to a place, a social group, a community or an organization. We need to remember that and master our sense of belonging - with our mind open as a child [learning the first alphabet] in front of the world.
ROSA CARBO / Leadership Development and Social Impact Leader
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Modern belonging goes both ways: I want to feel I belong and the Company (or society) should try its best to let me feel that I belong. Knowing who you are (your real self) helps to determine where you want to belong. For example, within a Company you can have a shared identity and thus realize if it is a good fit. There are so many critical parts of this mutual wish of belonging, that I think it‘s best to work these through „The Alphabet of Belonging“!
JESSICA HERSCHKOWITZ / CBC/ Group Head of Communication
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NAME / JOB / TITLE
“22222.DOUBLE CLICK HERE OR CLICK EDIT TEXT TO ADD SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR SERVICES"
MORE TESTIMONIALS
"It has been more than fifty years since I established my new home in Europe. Yet in "The Alphabet of Belonging" , I found a lot to (re)think about, including how to help my grandkids to feel welcome and have their voice heard.
Elinore C.