Growing up between two or more worlds is rarely easy, especially in the contemporary milieu, when polarization and the ever-present need to pick a side remain at an all-time high. For immigrants and Diasporans, this false dichotomy fallacy is even more pronounced: the socio-cultural divide between where they’re coming from, and where they are presently can feel like a chasm; a liminal space lined with identity crisis, code-switching, economic struggle, feelings of otherness, and a quiet, often repressed self-doubt and inadequacy. But what if that very tension held the key to success? What if, like Ryan Holiday asserts, ‘the obstacle is indeed the way?’ And, rather than adversarial relations to this phenomenon that leaves us exhausted, confused, and burnt out, what if we developed better and healthier strategies that transform this unnecessary strain into allyship, better living, more robust mental and physical health, less overall stress, and palpably improved well-being? The greatest philosophical maxim predating even the birth of Christ was as true then as it is true today: know thyself. Understanding one’s innate or acquired superpower (the in-between advantage) can greatly influence our attainment of the outcomes we most desire-whatever they may be.
What is the In-Between Advantage?
While growing up, imagine speaking one language at home, another at school, another in the playground with peers, and yet another with extended relatives. One cultural essence teaches deference, respectability, and communality; the other, self-assertion, questioning the status quo, and individuality. One praises survival; the other, self-expression, sometimes with varying degrees of hyperbole and self-aggrandizement.
Nonetheless, living at the intersection of two (or more) cultural systems builds what psychologists call “bicultural competence.” A study published in The Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology found that individuals with high bicultural competence often demonstrate enhanced creativity, empathy, and problem-solving abilities—skills directly linked to success in leadership, entrepreneurship, and cross-functional collaboration. They often, through unconscious training, learn to develop a multi-dimensional perspective, which, let’s face it, is essential to today’s global economy.
However, many immigrants never realize this advantage, nor do they capitalize on this unique feature. But why, one may ask?
Borne from straddling two ever-changing worlds is indeed a real struggle that exists, somewhat persistently. This struggle, sometimes oblivious to the individual, can have and do manifest itself in profound ways. Public Speaker and Coach, Micheal Omeka says, ‘Having worked with dozens of young professionals, from first-generation college students to colleagues from Berkeley’s International House, he often realized a subtle willingness from individuals to downplay or outrightly hide their backgrounds to fit in when they were meant to stand out.’ the Coach continues ‘They silence their accents as though it were a measure of intelligence; Shrink their cultural stories and heritage and consequently, albeit unknowingly, dim their brightest differentiator-their in-between advantage.’ This ought not to be, the TEDx Speaker lamented.
Struggles Holding Immigrants Back—and How to Transform Them
Identity Confusion → Empathic Leadership
Many immigrants and diasporans wrestle with the feeling of not being “enough”—not American enough, because, truth be told, they’re not from around here. Yet, they also cannot entirely claim their home countries because they’ve been ‘tainted’ with Western ideals, which, as earlier stated, may be antithetical to their own cultures. The reverse culture shock is undeniable and somewhat jarring because change is inevitable. This tension, however, builds real empathy, resilience, and growth if properly harnessed. As a former fitness trainer at Equinox, Micheal would advise his clients that their muscular tissues break down under tension, during exercise, yet grow during rest and recovery. This sentiment is aptly applicable. Furthermore, research from the American Psychological Association shows that people who reconcile multiple identities often become socially stronger, develop an anti-fragile mentality, have better active listening, and prove to be more emotionally intelligent leaders. This makes them ideal for roles requiring cultural sensitivity, conflict mediation, mentorship, cross-cultural communication, and community building.
Accent Anxiety → Communication Power
A foreign accent can sometimes feel like a social weight buttressed by our self-consciousness and otherness. To some, it’s an ice-breaker and conversation starter-I LOVE YOUR ACCENT! Where’s it from? Some others may have neutral or even skeptical reaction, but anchoring our sense of personhood or pride on another is recipe for unhappiness and ambiguity. A Harvard Business Review article titled “How non-native speakers can crack the glass ceiling” found that leaders with accents often appear more credible when they communicate clearly and confidently because their words seem more deliberate. Accent isn’t a limitation; it’s a differentiator-especially when speakers own their message with power, and clarity. Micheal Omeka recalls his moment of epiphany after hearing Trevor Noah declare on TV ‘Everyone has an accent and simply put, accent is just someone speaking your language with the rules of theirs.’ It’s a thing of beauty. Omeka, in furtherance of his message, quips ‘Most immigrants and Diasporans with accents are polyglots, and this certainly is worth celebrating!’
Financial Scarcity → Entrepreneurial Grit
Additionally, immigrants often start with less, sometimes moving to a whole new world with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and a negligible amount of cash in search of greener pastures-analogous to those aboard the Mayflower voyage a couple of centuries ago. But as the Kauffman Foundation reports, immigrants are nearly twice as likely to start businesses as native-born citizens. Why? Because they’re used to solving problems with limited resources, and they know first-hand what they’ve left behind. They understand hustle in ways that are often inexplicable to natural-borns citizens. In the last fiscal year, remittances to Nigeria alone exceeded twenty billion US dollars because the urge to assist is exigent, although, never enough. From the Janitor who eventually works his way to CEO because the credentials from his home country are useless, to the nanny who launches a childcare agency, becoming an employer herself, the In-Between Advantage breeds entrepreneurial resilience, drive, and unstoppable grit. The painstakingly arduous journey that got them to their current land of opportunities also serves extra propane fuel for their success, prosperity, and upward mobility. Like Tennis Legend Billie Jean King proclaims, Pressure is indeed privilege. The real purpose of being blessed is to be a blessing to others, for trees do not produce fruits for their own consumption.
The Insidious Cost of Not Owning This Advantage
When immigrants ignore or suppress their very unique experiences, the price is extraordinarily high. Professionally, they become readily and easily replaceable—just another resume in the stack, and a number amongst other digits. In their personal lives, they often wrestle with a preponderance of internal impostor syndrome, forever seeking external validation with disempowering mentality. Forever needing acceptance from a place of deficit-rather than mutual respect, compassion and collaboration.
Micheal recounts, I once coached a brilliant young engineer in San Francisco from Ghana who tried desperately to overtly ‘Americanize’ her voice and mannerisms at work. She was overlooked for leadership roles severally, which was tantamount to endless frustration. She was a great performer, often going above and beyond her peers in efforts, yet experiencing marginal to no improvements in her station. It wasn’t until she led a cross-cultural training session for her team, drawing from her lived experiences abroad, and permitting herself to be her brilliant self, did executives start thinking of greater responsibilities and promotions for her. Through coaching, she allowed herself to be the best version of herself and graciously shared that self with others. Now, she’s at her ideal level, and, better still, has become even more proud of who stares back at her in the mirror. It is complete folly, like Christ said, to light a candle and hide it under a basket or bushel; it’s in fact, dangerous. In a world proliferated with copy-cats and monkey-see-monkey-do, authenticity remains the ever-superior timeless currency. Dimming our lights is non-altruistic and selfish; it plateaus careers, hampers connection, blind our visions, misplaces priorities, drains, and costs us significantly. The time to re-write the scripts while holding firmly to our own pens, is now.
Turning Your Story Into Strategy
The In-Between Advantage isn’t about fitting in, it’s about standing out authentically. It’s about recognizing that your struggles are training grounds, your heritage a leadership asset, your voice a bridge of endless possibilities, not barrier, and your light, a source of inspiration and hope for others. It’s furthering the conversation beyond assimilation to thriving on God’s green Earth, appreciating and unapologetically accepting all elements and parts that make us who we are; it’s resolutely recognizing our greatness.
Immigrants and Diasporans don’t need to change who they are at their core to succeed- they need to better understand who they are already, and how to maximise those uniquely special capacities. Resourcefulness is almost a second language to this demographic, and tapping into this gift-especially for the betterment of the world, is crucial. Now, more than ever.
As observed in Micheal Omeka’s TEDx Talk- What I learned from my journey to the U.S, making others aware of this superpower has become part of his battle cry. ‘I’m on a mission to help professionals, students, and leaders uncover this advantage via Public Speaking and Coaching, as they use this superpower for their personal and professional advancement.’
To reach Micheal Omeka for a keynote, workshop, or coaching session, contact via email mikeomeka@gmail.com or direct Instagram messages @mikeomekaofficial. He speaks to audiences across the country about topics such as this, and also offers one-on-one coaching for individuals ready to elevate their confidence and communication skills. The in-between space can feel lonely. But when embraced, it becomes sacred ground—the place where perspective, power, and purpose meet for maximum growth.
