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:
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Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram: @juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au