October 10, 2010 – To label or not to label, that is the question. Have you ever given serious consideration to the use of labels in your life? Think about how often and easily we resort to labeling ourselves and others.
To be sure, there are times when labels provide a useful shorthand to convey the essential message of who we are and what we do. For example, among colleagues, shorthanding our professional niche with a label is useful for the simple reason that our listeners share an understanding of the implications of the label. “I am a real estate lawyer” has meaning to other lawyers that it wouldn’t necessarily have to prospective clients.
When considering your career, do you resort to a mere label of who you are and what you do? So many of us do just that and we end up limiting our possibilities by the limitations of the label.
A more productive method is to consider instead your skill set and the services you are passionate about providing. In other words, consider your strengths. What are you really good at and love doing? Such a formulation not only helps your prospective clients better understand why they should retain you, it also helps you better understand the essence of who you are professionally and why you do what you do. And that is an essential element in guiding your career.
“I am passionate about helping my clients navigate the process of purchasing their dream home” conveys so much more that merely “I am a real estate lawyer.”
Grok on that.
Consider the possibilities.
Adam J. Krim www.driveconsulting.net
