Action for Change
Seeing Ourselves Differently: Understanding Positionality
Every one of us sees the world through a unique lens.
That lens is shaped by our families, our culture, our communities, our education, our life experiences and the many systems that have influenced us throughout our lives. It shapes what we notice, what we overlook, what feels familiar, what feels uncomfortable and, often without us realising it, how we understand other people.
This is what we mean by positionality.
Positionality is not about assigning blame or placing people into categories. It is about recognising that none of us views the world from a completely neutral position. We all bring assumptions, values, experiences and beliefs into every conversation, relationship and decision.
Recognising this is not a weakness.
It is one of the foundations of compassion.
Why does positionality matter?
Many of the challenges we face today—polarisation, inequality, exclusion and conflict—are not simply the result of bad intentions.
Often they arise because we experience the same situation very differently.
When we assume that our own perspective is the only or the most accurate one, curiosity gives way to certainty. Conversations become debates. Difference becomes threat. Learning stops.
Compassion begins when we become curious enough to ask:
“What might I not be seeing?”
Seeing Through Different Lenses
Our positionality is continually shaped by many influences, including:
- our family and upbringing
- culture and heritage
- race and ethnicity
- gender and sexuality
- disability and health
- age and generation
- education and profession
- faith or worldview
- economic circumstances
- lived experiences of privilege and disadvantage
- the communities and organisations we belong to
No single aspect defines us.
Together they influence how we make sense of ourselves, other people and the world around us.
Reflection Before Reaction
Understanding positionality is not about becoming self-conscious.
It is about becoming more self-aware.
The goal is not to remove our perspective—that would be impossible.
The goal is to recognise it.
When we understand the lens through which we see the world, we become more open to understanding how others see it differently.
This creates the conditions for empathy, trust and meaningful dialogue.
From Awareness to Action
Awareness alone changes very little.
The real question is:
How will this understanding influence the way we lead, work, listen and live?
Action for Change exists to help turn reflection into practice.
That might mean:
- listening before responding
- asking better questions
- recognising whose voices are missing
- sharing power more intentionally
- challenging assumptions with humility
- creating spaces where everyone feels they belong
Small changes in how we see can lead to profound changes in how we act.
An Invitation
There is no final destination.
Understanding positionality is a lifelong practice of curiosity, reflection and learning.
It asks us to hold our convictions with humility, to remain open to perspectives different from our own and to recognise that none of us sees the whole picture.
If we can learn to see differently, we can begin to relate differently.
And when we relate differently, we create the possibility of building organisations, communities and societies where everyone has the opportunity to flourish.
“The greatest changes often begin not by changing the world around us, but by changing the way we see it.”
These ideas are explored more fully in Awakening the Human Heart: Seeing Differently Through Compassion, Inclusion and Our Shared Humanity where positionality becomes the starting point for understanding compassion, inclusion and our shared responsibility for creating a more human world.
To find out more go to our resources page or book onto one of our trainings.