We all know what it feels like to be an Outsider—the one person who doesn’t fit in, who’s too this and not enough that, who feels weird, different, and alone … unseen, untapped, and unfulfilled.

Living with this feeling for decades and recognizing it in my friends, family, co-workers, employees, and clients across 30 years of business experience—I realized it was so pervasive and so simultaneously damaging that I gave it a name: The Outsider Syndrome™. 

And I became curious about how it shows up at work and impacts two things I’m super passionate about—performance and culture. 

As I dug deeper, I found that it isn't just everywhere at work—it’s also at the heart of these really tough challenges we all struggle with that profoundly impact both our well-being and bottom line.