Do you get apprehensive when you have to explain what you do?
This apprehension is a stress that is not doing you any favors, is it?
The idea for this blog came from J.T. O’Donnell in a post on LinkedIn. The link is below. So how do you answer when someone asks you “What do you do?” The challenge is that we feel that we need to make an impression, at least this has been my experience.
We are worried about being judged, so we try to say something that earns respect – or at least avoid ridicule according to the author. Secondly, we usually answer with a title we’ve made up or been given by the position we have with our organization. This is not good because when we are asked “What do you do?” we should be responding with the actions you do. By saying that you are an “Account Manager” it doesn’t answer the “what you do” part of the question.
I bring this up because for years I was stressed out about how I would introduce myself and I didn’t want to get trapped into being seen as the same as everyone else. So I would fumble and stumble along trying to be creative in my title – I always missed answering the question – the answer needed to be what is it that I do.
If you want to make your life easier and be more understood by those you meet, tell them what it is that you actually do.
Can you imagine how less stressed you will be?
http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130430125213-7668018-quiz-are-you-obsessed-with-professional-identity
This is very true.
I always used to feel the need to provide an answer to what I did in a way that elevated my status. At various times in my life that would be, Marketing Manager, Business owner, Export trader, Farmer, Horticultural Exporter.
After losing everything to political turmoil, for a while I became just Survivor, then Consultant.
Later, after a medical problem dictated yet another career change, and with the serenity that ageing boomer status confers, I now answer the question with any one of “I ask Questions”, “I transform lives”, “I help people create Brilliance from Adversity”
“I am a Contrarian Thinker” depending on the situation.
All those responses generally invite a second question “How do you do that?” Which allows me to ask my questions and re-focus the conversation on my new acquaintance.
Peter,
I really appreciate your comments. You’ve had quite the life! The key thing from my perspective is that you are putting your knowledge and experience to great use. Tim