Job title? That’s so 20th century

May 12, 2009, 1:38 pm

bike- flckr Back in the mid-90′s, while launching my training & consulting company , Cross Currents Communications, (my fourth business), I was highly influenced by two powerful mentors: William Bridges and his declaration that “the job is obsolete” and Tom Peters, who provoked us to Break all the Rules.

Thanks to these revolutionary visionaries and the recession, we all have the opportunity for reinvention, authenticity, and to “think and be different,” ie to stand out IN our purpose.

We all have a chance to learn, improve, and build up our skills. We all have a chance to be a brand worthy of remark. Today, we all need to be CEOs (Chief Enlightenment Officers) of our own companies and to be Head Marketers/Directors of Fulfillment for the brand called You.

Here are a few questions I use in working with clients ready to let go of job titles and duties as their identity, and start thinking of themselves as a company:

Start by identifying the positive qualities and characteristics that make you distinctive from your colleagues. What do you do better than anyone else? What are you passionate about?
What have you done recently to make yourself stand out?
What would your students, customers, clients or colleagues say is your greatest and clearest strength? If you don’t know, ask them.
What is your most noteworthy personal trait?
What is your “feature-benefit” model? (Do you anticipate and solve problems before they become crises?; Do you complete projects within the allotted budget?)
Ask yourself: What do I do that adds remarkable, measurable, distinguished, distinctive value?
Ask yourself: What do I do that I am most proud of? (What have I accomplished that I can share confidently and consistently?
What value do I offer? Become relentlessly focused on what you do that adds value, that you are proud of, and most importantly, that you can shamelessly take credit for.
Finally, ask yourself: What do I want to be famous for?