The question I would like to propose is this. Who are you when you are introducing yourself to someone new? How do you sum yourself up in a few phrases?

I spoke to a wonderful woman/client of 80 this week, who described herself as an “80 year old stroke survivor”.However, after speaking to her I realised she was so much more than this; she was a teacher, a passionate business woman, a grandmother, a free spirit etc.

Another new customer I spoke to introduced herself by stating the country and neighbourhood she was from.

I know it makes a difference to who you are talking too and the context etc (or does it??)

I know when I worked in my former profession as a Criminal Psychologist I rarely mentioned my occupation when introduced to someone for the first time outside a business context. My profession became a real conversation killer. It made people really nervous of talking to me in case I was analysing their every word, their body language etc. Usually I wasn’t. But sometimes when someone was really elaborating their life my husband has said a “wry smile” would come over my face subconsciously. So maybe I was always “on the job”. So I rarely said what I did/was. If pushed I would say I worked in research.

But what does that say? It says I’m making judgements or assumptions about who I’m talking to, and therefore short-changing them, but more importantly short-changing myself!

Now I would sum myself up as: “I am a corporate refugee, a lover of life and all things sparkly,a creator of my own world etc etc” (which I have used before, and to some very strange looks!)But I'm still not sure that sums up who I really am.

What about you? How do you describe yourself if introducing yourself outside your professional/work context.


I would love to hear all your comments.