Who is your identity for?

Photo by f.e.m.k.e on flickr.

Identity is at the core of our being. Defining who we are as individuals, groups or organisations seems simple, but is in fact complex and ambiguous.

Ask yourself, who am I? Other people may give you different answers. As father, son, partner, friend, colleague, client, provider, supporter, citizen?

Our identity is rarely fixed, we play different roles according to the context and project different faces to different audiences. Often we reappraise how we behave and adjust expectations accordingly, adapting our responses to different needs. This is a natural, but it’s not simple.

Organisations too are complicated: audiences and stakeholders are mediated through the organisational brand, products, employees, distribution and communication channels.

The other great intermediary is the media, who shape perceptions of us all. Perhaps the rise of social media reflects our need to express ourselves and manage our identity, but it may also represent another milestone in our absorption into mainstream media.

For now it’s the platform for self expression, identity and individuality, let’s keep it that way.

Filed under: Uncategorized, culture, identity, social media