I am NOT a Number…

Identity is such a complex thing. It is probably true to say there are a lot of people who couldn’t properly answer the question “Who are you?” And most of those who attempted it would probably define themselves by the role(s) they play in life. “I work for Vodafone”, or “I’m a bank manager” or “I’m a rock musician”. Some others may add “I’m a Mum” or “I’m Janet’s partner” or “I’m Peter’s brother”. “Who are you?” is certainly one of the hardest questions to really answer, and the good news is I don’t propose to challenge you all to try and do this now!

However, the thing that has hit me recently is the degree to which some people want or need others just to be their role, with no untidy bits of personal stuff poking out the side. Those of you in big corporations or working with them may resonate with this. I can see that if I have a leak in my tap, and I call a plumber, I don’t necessarily want or need his life story. However, it is also true that this person is in my space, and I want to know if I can trust him (and by extension, his work) and how do I judge that if I don’t engage with the whole person?

The thing is that our individuality is so link with our individual gifts or genius; who we are is very closely aligned with what we have to offer. So if companies, bosses or customers insist on only dealing with our ‘role’ then all they get is the outer shell. Of course, with each layer we plumb, it all gets messier and takes more time and effort, but normally, you have to dig for gold.

So today, look a little deeper, talk a little longer, shine your own light a little brighter and see what results that may bring… Good Luck!

“In the depth of my soul there is a wordless song.” Kahlil Gibran

“The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves.” Leonardo de Vinci

 

This entry was posted on Friday, February 1st, 2008 at 09:10 and is filed under General, Personal Change, Values & Philosophy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.