Imagine all the people

Ever since I started my study at the University of applied sciences in Amsterdam, I have learned how to manage what a company wants to be, how the world sees them and how to keep those two in check. I started to apply this on a personal level. I know how I see the world and what defines me as a person. I believe, as much as a lot of people, that how I communicate verball and non verball translates enough of who I am. Is this really the case?

Lets start with what we communication proffesionals like to call; the gap analyses.

One day at my old job, before opening hours, I was jamming some punk and rock music on my phone. Whenever a coworker of mine overheard this I always got the standard reaction; I’ve never expected this from you. And my question now would be; but what do you expect from me than?

At that same job another coworker saw one of my tattoos for the first time and came up with the same comments: I’ve never expected you as a person who’d like tattoos. The most confusing part was, that coworker knew me better than the ones who reacted on my taste of music.

So, apparently what I say, do or show doesnt lay in line with how people see me. For a company this is an easy one to fix. You will hand out a survey, let people fill them in, and see where the obvious holes are so that you can work on them. On a more personal level this is rather difficult. Just out of curiousity I want to know: well how do you see me than? But sometimes it is maybe best not to know. Or to keep the mysterie of who you truly are a little bit alive.

My name is Lynn and I will stay true to myself.

– Lynn Kentin