A Taligens Insight
A common misconception among professionals is the belief that their titles or certifications intrinsically qualify them for success or specific opportunities. While credentials may open doors, they do not inherently define what one can offer. Instead of relying solely on formal qualifications, professionals could view themselves as dynamic offerings capable of evolving over time. This shift, from a static to a generative mindset, allows individuals to build themselves as possibilities, creating unique value propositions tailored to specific contexts and needs. In this paper, we will address the relationship between our identity and possibilities. Our central claim is that who we are in the world—and the scope of our possibilities—is far more influenced by how others perceive and engage with us than by any intrinsic characteristics often attributed to our personality. This perspective challenges traditional notions of identity, urging us to consider the profound impact of relationships, context, and our dynamics.
In this document, we invite you to explore the relationship between public- and self-identity, and its connection with the notion of possibilities. Our central claim is that what defines who we are in the world (public identity) and the spectrum of possibilities that is open to us, is far more influenced by how others perceive us, than by any intrinsic characteristics we may possess, which are often attributed to our personality, or our own views of ourselves (self identity). This perspective challenges traditional notions of identity, urging us to consider the profound impact of relationships, context and our ability to continuously learn and develop new skills. Rather than relying on traditional academic degrees or formal qualifications alone, we are better off understanding ourselves as dynamic beings, who shape our public identities based on the value we can bring to others. In other words, seeing ourselves as catalysts of possibilities for others.
Our public identity (or who we are in the world), when viewed through an ontological lens, is a dynamic construct that lives in the minds of those around us, rather than our own. Unlike psychology, which tends to frame personality as a permanent set of traits defined early in life, ontology focuses on the power of language and relationships to continuously reshape who we are in the world and what we can offer, based on what we can actually do. By clinging to fixed notions of identity based on the traits we are born with, we limit our capacity for reinvention and are left helpless when hit by the winds of change. Conversely, embracing what we call an “ontological approach” opens doors to reimagine oneself and adapt to changing circumstances. The benefits of this mindset include increased adaptability and ability to respond to changing conditions in our professional environment (and sometimes, also our personal one), enriched relationships, and expanded opportunities for value creation. We propose that this shift, from a static to a generative mindset based on the offers we want to make, allows individuals to develop themselves as possibilities, becoming more entrepreneurial and creating unique value propositions tailored to specific prospects and their contexts and needs.
A secondary claim we make here is that who we are in the world is also shaped by our relationships. It may sound obvious, but we think it’s worth mentioning that we are someone’s son or daughter, we are parents because we have children, we are someone else’s friend, we are employees because we have an employer, etc. These relationships create a space for interaction with others in which we become potential opportunities for others, depending on the nature of our relationships. What might be surprising to some is that our understanding of public identity is not based on something that lives within ourselves (our personalities) but rather on who we are in someone else’s eyes (their assessments about us). This way, the emphasis is not on us looking at ourselves as much, but rather on understanding how we come across to others. We see this possibility – our becoming potential opportunities – as our way of being an offer to others, whether we are explicitly conscious of it or not. As parents, we are an offer for a safe space in which our kids can grow up; as a friend, we are an offer for a sympathetic ear to listen to someone’s concerns or grief; and as employees, we can be more intentional and make different offers, depending on what we want to accomplish. Looking at our public identity this way, we may even decide to shift who we are professionally speaking, by shifting the type of offers (and promises) we want to make. There are countless examples of individuals who set off in the pursuit of a certain career path (say, civil engineering), but found themselves becoming a business leader and CEO of a large corporation (e.g., Rex Tillerson at ExxonMobil). Within your own realm of professional relationships, you might be able to find plenty of cases that exemplify this situation. From someone who went to school to get a degree in mechanical engineering, but shortly after became interested in finance and decided to switch their focus and became a financial advisor, to someone who got a degree in accounting and decided to be an HR professional later in life.
Ontological design is the practice of actively shaping oneself in the world. Rather than assuming a fixed nature, this approach cultivates the capacity to continually invent and redefine oneself. It aligns with the dynamic realities of the corporate world, where adaptability and innovation are essential for long-term success. The core of ontological design lies in the ability to expand one's capacity to make new promises and create value. By developing new skills, embracing different opportunities, and listening closely to emerging trends, individuals can broaden their offerings in ways that were previously unimaginable. This transformation is not about changing who you are but about enhancing what you can deliver in response to the needs of others. Psychologists often argue that personality is largely set by the age of two or three. In contrast, ontology suggests that identity is shaped by the possibilities available in one’s environment. The ability to perceive and act on these possibilities is not fixed but generative and can be cultivated over time. This means that by engaging in new spaces and worlds, individuals can discover opportunities for growth and reinvention.
Being in the corporate world is not just about professional accomplishments or the accumulation of credentials. It is about the ongoing process of designing oneself as a unique and valuable offering based on the possibilities we want to be for others. By embracing the ontological perspective, professionals can move beyond deterministic views of identity, continuously reinvent themselves, and create meaningful, generative relationships. In a world where the only constant is change, the ability to see and seize new possibilities is the most valuable skill of all.
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