When people think of you, your name, your reputation, what is the thing that they say? It’s an interesting exercise because if it is something different than what you want to be known for, it gives you an opportunity to work on that thing.
LinkedIn provides a great place to present ourselves in the way we want. For instance, in my title I have:
Fractional CPO – some of the work that do…I’m indicating I am interested in a part-time strategic HR kind of work
Consultant and Advisor – more of the work I do – and purposely a little broad so people may ask what kind of consulting; what does advisory work mean to you – it may start a conversation
Speaker – this is new. While I’ve been doing workshops and facilitation for years, I’ve done a few keynotes here and there, but I’m putting it out in the world that this is one of the things I want to be known for. Maybe this one moves up sometime soon.
Podcast Co-Host – this one is kinda obvious, but it’s also about generating interest in my podcast.
Enneagram Nerd // Yogini // Continual Learner…this is mostly me indicating what I love and where I spend some of my time. I am choosing a way to present myself through my interests
I am FAR from perfect on my LinkedIn profile, but am fortunate in that I get to craft my narrative.
However, what happens when you don’t get to choose what you are known for?
What if the worst thing you ever did is the thing you are known for?
Most of us don’t have our bad news splashed across the front pages of newspapers. I was reflecting on this when I recently saw an article about a celebrity getting a DUI. In his case, the whole world found out, and while that sucks for him, he’ll likely have the assistance of a PR team, a next album, and likely some appearances with his favorite late talk night talk show host to help rehabilitate his reputation.
But, what if you didn’t have access to all that help… What if that terrible thing that you did that one time in your life was the one thing associated with your name?
No amount of title posturing on LinkedIn will help when a Google search results in, for instance, an arrest.
Sue Lambert spent most of her life trying to do the right thing. She has a strong moral compass that went awry when she developed a couple of different addictions. If you Google Sue’s name, you will find details of her crime and sentencing. But, that is not what makes Sue so compelling.
From jail, she confronted herself and what she had become. Sue took every self-discovery course available to her and found the Enneagram Prison Project which changed her life.
While Sue cannot change her past or her Google search results, she is clear on finding perfection within the imperfect. Sue joins Sherry and me on the podcast this week. Check out her inspiring story here, https://lnkd.in/guBJBbTv or wherever you listen to podcasts.
