Who are you?
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Who are you?
“I am, what I do.” It is a matter of course for all of us to introduce ourselves by saying what we do: I am a teacher. I am a doctor. I am a lawyer. I am a banker and so on. Our profession has taken over our identity. We are what we do, in the full sense of the word. Another important factor that has helped shape our identity is our employer, with whom we have spent decades of our professional life and not only our professional life. Employers have become a constant and prominent part of our life in general. We have allowed our social life to be built around our profession and our employer. Our social network consists mostly of our equals.
Now, how do we identify ourselves in an era where one job for life is no longer the norm? Disruptiveness has taken over. We recognize that a disruptive career progression is not a straightforward path, but it is a path that requires adaptation to unconventional ways of working, a path that requires creativity and innovation. Take for example, “Portfolio Careers” i.e the expression to describe how career paths are designed more and more by disruptive means. “Portfolio Careers” in the sense of careers built on a combination of various professional activities and no longer on a one employer and one salary philosophy.
Marci Alboher, the American author of “One Person/Multiple Careers”, defines these careers as “Slash Careers”, where people fully express their multiple passions, talents and interests. “Slash Careers” require multiple identities.
Multiple identities are certainly not a common feature for the majority of people, so how should one avoid identity chaos and uncertainties in this era of “Slash Careers”? This is an era in which your personality and uniqueness has more room than ever before. The disruptive world does not value you only for your competencies, abilities and your academic titles such as Doctor, Professor and so on. It is your entire personality that enables you to shine and win in this era. Your personality with all its facets, your beliefs, values, your attitude, wishes, interests, habits, objectives etc. is what counts. Your personality and characteristics, the way you are, behave, think and feel, is what is going to help you to win.
Leave chaos and fear aside and take the courage to focus on YOU, who you are and for what you stand. Create your unique and incredible brand, a brand that will be in high demand!
Are you feeling stuck and do not know how to move forward? Let’s talk about “Portfolio Careers”. (Contact me)