The New Personal Statement
Update 10.27.23
This week I had the privilege to join some of the top leader and influencers across the healthcare industry in a small group forum. Amidst many energizing conversations on leadership, Alex Gorsky referenced the Johnson & Johnson credo [https://www.jnj.com/credo/] that has guided the company for 80 years. While the credo was intended to guide the company, and has for 80 years, Alex also made the point his own personal values have an organic overlap with the values in the credo. Right then and there I pulled up my own personal statement and reflected. I evolved it a bit to incorporate two elements I realized were missing - Curiosity, and Creation.
So, here is a reminder - if you don’t have one, you might try crafting one. If you do have one, take a minute to ensure it is still reflective of your true North.
Until a few years ago, if I heard the phrase “personal statement,” I would have politely moonwalked out of the conversation. Personal statements felt like useless hollow things people wrote to describe how they wanted to be seen by the very people who would never ever read someone’s personal statement.
Then, I was in an executive leadership course that walked us through a personal statement exercise, so I reframed it entirely.* This statement was going to be for me; I would be both author and reader. I believe strongly in bringing your genuine self to work, being an integrated and whole human, and avoiding being the persona of a leader. [link] This would be about capturing who I think I am, who I want to be, and how I hope others respond to me, both professionally and personally.
I find myself returning to this statement as a bit of a wayfinder. Rereading this statement always grounds me, and brings me back to what matters regardless of the noise.
Now it’s your turn!
So, wanna write one of your own? Remember, this is for you, and you alone. No one will see it, unless you want them to, so don’t lie to yourself. If you feel a little uncomfortable, you’re probably onto something.
Step 1:
Make two columns. The first column should be words that you’d use to describe yourself. The second column should be words you think others would use to describe you.
Don’t write too many words or take too long. Try to jot 5-10 in each column in under 1-2minutes.
Step 2:
Note off in each column the words you want to amplify with a checkmark, and strikethrough the words you’d like to dial back.
Step 3:
Next write down 3-5 values that are most central to who you are. Again, don’t overthink this. You should know in your gut a few things that irrefutably matter to you.
Step 4:
Now begin picking up these words and values, almost like an adult mad libs, and craft them into a few sentences. Use action statement sentence structures like “I want to…” “I am…” and include how you want others to feel as a result of your actions.
Step 5:
You may shuffle your sentences, or make some slights edits as it comes together. Read it out loud to see how it sounds, notice if it feels right. You should land somewhere around 5-8 sentences.
After you are satisfied with your statement, revisit it! We are not static. We all prefer getting to know real people, not their constructs. If you want to share, I’d love to read your new personal statements - statements that reflect the person you are.
* This is a tactic I use often when I need to force myself to focus on an activity I am not organically interested in. I spin the perspective until I find a way to make myself curious.
Updated Personal Statement 10/27/23
Original Personal Statement 8/4/22
