COLLAB CORNER: A Guest Post by Dana Ray
Tim and I are thrilled to host a new series on the blog called COLLAB CORNER. Here, we feature posts by guest artists- artists who are active parts of our growing IVS Community as clients, creatives, and/or collaborators. If you'd like to contribute a piece of writing, please send it to hello@innovativevoicestudio.com!
by Dana Ray
“So what do you do?”
Is there a question more universally fraught in 2020?
It’s asked kindly enough. By our parents and grandparents, our neighbors, our latest connection on LunchClub, our Linkedin bios. People want to understand who we are.
Most of us don’t do one thing anymore, especially for us creatives who never stuck to one job at a time anyway. The Pandemic has caused mass migration of creative professionals into the traditional workforce or entrepreneurship. Our backgrounds aren’t the norm and it’s on us to explain that we really are skilled in jobs outside our “resume.”
Answering the question used to be easier. As kids, we were asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The answers were always one word. Nurse. Firefighter. Astronaut. Teacher. Princess. A title. A role. One-Thing. A name. We look for a box to put ourselves in to make it easier.
The one word title isn’t enough. It’s not accurate. We aren’t a cog in the machine. What we call ourselves, the title we assume, is deeper than a genre or industry.
So how do we explain the complexity of being artistic professionals?
This is not only possible but accessible to you. Right now.
The trick? Flip the script.
The New Script
The expectation is that we answer the question with what we do. The job, the title, the task
The Normal Script:
I am a [...] with [x company].
I do [...].
But that is jumping to specificities too quickly, leaving out the full scope of what you’re trying to create in the world.
What we’re going to do is reverse the order.
The True Story:
My work is about [...].
Right now that looks like […].
Let’s see this in practice.
You and I meet at a networking event on zoom. And you ask me, “So what do you do?”
The Normal Script:
Title: I am a communications consultant.
The What: I align internal and external communication for leaders and entrepreneurs.
Not bad! It says something concrete and clear. But you don’t get a sense of what matters to me or who I might be outside of one particular facet of my life.
The Flipped Script:
My work is about… finding the words to communicate who we are, what we do, and why it matters.
Right now that looks like…serving leaders and artists in naming their work so they can confidently and clearly communicate their value.
This second one gives you the same information as the first but in a way that paints a picture of who I am in relationship to the thing that I offer. You have a better idea of what I might be like in the rest of my life, what values I likely hold, what things spark my curiosity. You see me, not my job.
And I still answered the question I was asked!
Or let’s say you meet my friend Taylor Harrington. If you asked her what she does, she could answer with the normal script:
Title: I am director of digital marketing at Akimbo.
The What: I manage digital promotion of our programs that serve business leaders and linchpins all over the world.
Again: this is accurate. But that title doesn’t tell you about all the projects she’s getting to create and lead both in her job and in her life. It doesn’t tell you about what she’s good at and what motivates her.
So let’s try this one instead.
The Flipped Script:
My work is about... seeking to understand so that we can belong together.
Right now that looks like…
Founding and running the Emerging Leaders program at Akimbo.
Mentoring recent graduates from marketing and advertising degrees.
Facilitating Real Skills conferences that draw thousands of participants.
Partnering to further Disability Rights and global accessibility.
She wouldn’t have to answer with all of those details. Instead, she can choose the details that make sense for who she’s talking to and the breadth of her talents she wants to portray.
This intro doesn’t put Taylor in a box. Instead, there’s the global story of WHO SHE IS and what that work is ABOUT. If any of you know Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle”, this will make sense!
You Get A Choice
The Flipped Script also means there’s room for change. We can detail what we bring to the table beyond the current moment. When our jobs and titles change, and they WILL change, we can retain a sense of identity and consistency.
Your story and how you tell it defines how others see you, and even how you see yourself. The words we use to describe our work can be the difference between confinement and expansive opportunity. And a great way to do this is to avoid the trap of starting with a title, a word that will never really tell us the beauty that you offer. Instead, flip the script. Tell us what your work is about. And from there, the details will all make sense.
You get a choice in how you present yourself to the world. Don’t let us miss you.
Bio:
Dana Ray identifies and defines the ideas and language that underpin great work. As a consultant, she helps driven leaders name their work and align their messaging in creative industries such as fashion, dance, design, theater, and activism.
She is a daily tea drinker and writes weekly letters exploring the power of language in art, culture, and storytelling. You can join at www.danamray.com.