How Real is your Professional Identity?
By Audrey Seymour
Back in the early 80's I was standing in line
for a waterslide at the social hour during a
computer graphics convention. I had
always dreaded those networking events because they
were so formal and held in stuffy hotels - I didn't
enjoy acting "professional" in the way I believed
was required, so I would grab my food and run.
But that year the convention was held at a water
theme park
in Las Vegas. Standing there dripping wet in my
bathing suit holding a belly board, I forgot all
about my
professional image and struck up a conversation with
two other software engineers.
Two years later I was looking for a job, and
recognized their company in the classified ads. It
was the wackiest cover letter
I had ever written in my life, opening with "You may not
remember me, but we met at a waterslide."
Not only did they remember me,
their boss was the hiring manager and I got the job.
As I reflect back on what really happened back
then, I realize I had a belief that I had to be
somebody else in order to network with strangers in
a professional setting. When I just relaxed and was
myself, it opened doors.
How different is your "professional self" from
your natural self?
While it is appropriate to have healthy
boundaries about what you share in a business
setting, the question here is "Do you take on a fake
identity when expressing yourself professionally?"
Putting on a performance and playing a role
rather than being your natural self can be an
unconscious pattern even after years of
self-inquiry. If
your profession isn't acting, where does that
professional "performance" happen and at what cost?
Are you a consultant or teacher who feels that
you have to be "the expert", never to be
caught without an answer to a question?
Or a tax accountant who believes that
serious formality is required,
since your natural humor would be disrespectful
of your clients' money?
In today's business climate with so many options,
people prefer to hire or buy from those that they
like and trust. With job security no longer
guaranteed, a solid network of connections is
important for learning about opportunities and even
getting your resume read.
What opportunities for perception
and connection are you missing when you're
performing from a script or worrying about how you look?
It may not be realistic to change this habit
overnight. Instead, consider just noticing when you
are wearing your "professional identity" role -- and
that will
open up the possibility for something new to arise.
Then, as you gain trust in your natural
responsiveness in any business setting, your ideal
clients and referral network will see who you really are
and be drawn more immediately to you. © 2006 Audrey Seymour. All rights reserved.
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