Who Are You as a Person? Why It's Often a Hard Question to Answer.

If you couldn’t mention your job, your title, or your LinkedIn bio - how would you describe yourself? In this solo episode of Leading You, I explore the identity crisis that so many high-performing leaders quietly experience. We’ve spent years defining ourselves by roles, achievements, and external success. But when the titles fall away… who’s left? Inspired by a powerful moment in another podcast where CEOs and board members struggled to answer the question “Who are you as a person?” without listing their career history, I unpack why this question is so confronting, and why your answer matters more than ever. This episode is a wake-up call for anyone stuck in proving, striving, or living out of alignment with their core. You’ll learn how to reconnect with your true identity, why it’s a leadership superpower, and a practical tool to anchor yourself during times of change. In this episode, we cover: Why “Who are you?” is so often answered with a job title and what that reveals How burnout, misalignment, and non-stop striving disconnect us from ourselves Why your résumé is not your worth The power of writing a Who I Am statement How remembering who you are changes how you lead and live   Actions & Reflection Prompts: Pause and ask: Who are you without your title or achievements? Write your own Who I Am statement - your values, passions, and what truly matters Revisit it regularly, especially during change or when you feel off-track Share this episode with someone who needs to be reminded: you are more than what you do   Episode Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome to Leading You 01:15 – The question every leader should ask 04:10 – What CEOs said when asked “Who are you as a person?” 06:45 – My own experience of losing and reclaiming identity 09:20 – When proving yourself becomes your identity 13:30 – Misalignment, burnout, and forgetting who you are 17:00 – Prompts to reconnect with your true self 21:15 – Using your Who I Am statement as an anchor 25:00 – Final reflections and an invitation to pause   Want more?  📖 Explore Lead.Her Collective Mastermind 🎧 Listen to more episodes: Leading You Podcast 📘 Read: You Always Have a Choice   Share this episode: Tag @juliehyde on LinkedIn or Instagram Use the hashtag #LeadingYouPodcast Rate, review & subscribe if this resonated with you Because when you remember who you are, you lead from truth - not from titles.   Links: Get the Clarity Compass Mini Program Connect with Julie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/ Instagram: @juliehydeleads Website: https://juliehyde.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.