The Multiplicity of Selves and Selves Management: A Leadership Challenge for the 21st Century

Abstract

As we move through the stages of our lives, most of us continuously add personal and professional ‘selves’ to a growing list of identities. From infancy to adolescence to adulthood, new selves with various role requirements are added, including friend, lover, co-worker, boss, spouse, and parent. While this rising number of selves impacts every aspect of our existence, few among us plan for their growth in a strategic way. An additional complication is that the mixing of personal and professional roles throughout the day, rather than assigning them to discrete blocks of time, has become increasingly acceptable. Therefore, a primary challenge for leaders is to look beyond the typical boundaries of our public lives and help sub-ordinates develop appropriate synergies among selves that lead to personal and professional success.