I have written about this before but a couple of things prompted me to think about it again.
Yesterday, intending to be a bit cheeky, I wrote “Does having “communications” in your job title make it harder to have conversations?” I was having a dig at “professional communicators” who often get stuck in broadcast mode online or even face to face. To my surprise this kicked off a conversation about job titles!
Today the issue of personal insights in professional documents came up. Is it appropriate? Does it enhance the content or make it seem “self-aggrandising”?
Both relate to Organizations Don’t Tweet, People Do.
What do we lose when we take on the mantle of “professional”. Does it inevitably mean that we lose our individual voice and adopt the norms and conventions of the profession we have joined? Is it possible to deliver professional results but talk normally?
Isn’t there a risk that by fitting in we all end up losing out?
The Obvious? 
Realistically I think we take on the "mantle" of many different roles in our daily interactions. I recognized this years ago and since then I make a conscientious effort to respond as authentically and consistently as possible whether I am in the role of mother, sister, wife, professional, friend etc. Each role compliments the other and creates a synergy of empathy. I am a much better listener than I used to be!In most cases, it is appropriate for personal insights to complement a professional document. In my case, most personal insights are a result of a mistake or failure, so no worries about "self-aggrandizing" there!
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