The key issues of this course were raised in the syllabus: how identity is created, sustained, and transformed through communication.
This course made me look at myself. With the multiple demands confronting me in my roles of mother, significant other, friend, volunteer, student, neighbor and job creator/seeker, the big question of identity arises. Just what is my identity? How can I be authentic given my many and disparate stakeholder groups?
Specifically, my work identity is in flux, so I am in the process of transforming my identity, creating my brand. While branding for products makes sense to me, I recognize as a result of this course that creating a personal brand for certain aspects of my own life is important as well. Brands are mental short cuts that are especially relevant in our fast paced world. I used to be identified with finance and had various licenses and certifications which conveyed credibility and other things - but I am changing careers and have to create a set of new workplace characteristics by which to be known that will present me to the business world as someone who is knowledgeable in communications, social media and coaching.
Communication enables me to develop and manage my work identity. Polishing my narrative, putting it “out there” for people to see, using mediums such as Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, and blogs can serve to bolster my presence and shape perceptions in the workplace.
In addition to personal identity, we learned about organizational identity issues. Issues we explored that impact businesses today and have changed the way companies operate and communicate: stakeholder activism, how firms stand out amid the “noise”, platforms of messaging, new realities in image control (organizations no longer control either their image or the totality of their message) resulting from the change from “push” to “pull” communications, home offices and geographically disbursed work-groups, technologically-enabled instant communications and expectations towards 24/7 employee accessibility, and the blurring of public and private lines/work and personal lives.
This course provided me with an understanding of the social construction of reality, and the necessity to project my identity and tailor my messaging to my various stakeholders.
I've included information and assignments relevant to the course:
Syllabus COMM 635 Syllabus
In the course I did a review of the book Obsessive Branding Disorder (2008), stating that branding has a place and function but must be tailored and adapted to account for the noise and changes in media, technology, personal habits, and busy-ness OBD Book Reflection.
I made a podcast for my class project on identity. I looked at personal identity at a time of change, in my case at a time when a parent becomes an "empty nester". The questionnaire I used in my research: Podcast Questionnaire. The podcast storyboard is as follows: Podcast Storyboard.
We created a group project which focused on the branding and identity of a product. We created a fictitious product, the Corn Wholesome tooth brush. Part of the brand and identity work consisted of analyzing other products to understand and apply others' ideas to our product. The following is my contribution to the group presentation, an analysis of Toms of Maine, a company that projected product and business identity similar to what we were trying to achieve in our "new" product, Brand Identity example, Toms of Maine background. The group presentation for this product involved all four group participants; the following is my contribution Group Presentation Contribution
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