Becoming what you do.

Try this: Ask people to describe themselves and to tell you more about who they are.
Most of the time, within the first few sentences they will tell you what they do for a living.


I once visited someone I knew, who had just retired and moved to a city in another part of the country. He used to lead a medium sized organization and served on the board of a bigger one.  I went for coffee and asked him: "How are you doing?"


His answer was blunt and bitter: "Not good."  When I asked why, he said: "I am nothing,
a nobody.  -The one day people asked for my opinion and guidance, the next nobody phoned me or even notices me."


This may say something about how we treat our old people and retired leaders, (if you can ever retire from being a leader) but it says a lot more about our identity as leaders.


Who are you?


It seems to me that we easily become what we do. Without trying, over time, we come to a place where we define ourselves by our job description and/ or position.  When for some reason that position or job description changes, we seem to lose our identity.


How can we ever let ourselves become so empoveraged?


You are and should stay much more that what you do professionally!!


You are a person with value, thoughts, feelings and (hopefully) interests apart from what you do during office hours.


Take a moment now and ask yourself: "Who am I"


Describe yourself, your interests, passions, personality and your being.
-Without mentioning your job or professional responsibilities and position.


How did it go?