5 Activities to Facilitate Professional Identity Development with Your Team
Helping your team understand and develop their professional identity is more important than ever. Gone are the days when a job title alone could define someone's career. Now, it’s about uncovering who you are beyond your title—what value you bring, how you combine multiple skills, and how you create belonging in your work.
As I discuss in my book More Than My Title, professional identity is the key to unlocking fulfillment and engagement, both individually and collectively. It’s also a driver of high performing teams because once you understand someone’s professional identity, then the right people will be in the right seat.
So how can you, as a leader, help your team discover their true professional selves? Here are five activities to start.
1. Host a “More Than My Title” Workshop
A powerful first step is encouraging your team to reflect on who they are beyond their job titles. Create a space where team members can answer the following questions:
What would you call yourself in your role besides your current job title?
What do you want to be known for in this role?
How do you see yourself versus how do others/your peers see you in your role?
How do you want to be seen, known, and valued in your work?
This exercise helps your team begin to understand that their professional identity isn’t limited to a job description. It opens the door for them to think more expansively about how they see themselves on their own terms in their work, in addition to their skills, passions, and purpose.
2. Run a “Hybrid Identity” Brainstorming Session
In More Than My Title, I talk about the power of hybrid professionals—those who blend multiple skills and roles together. Invite your team to identify their own “hybrid identities.” Have them brainstorm and share how they mix different talents, expertise, and interests in their current work.
For example, a marketer on your team might also have a talent for design or storytelling. They might think of themselves as the “Wizard of Oz” or the “Moment Architect.”
By recognizing and leveraging these hybrid identities, you help your team see themselves more holistically, increasing their sense of ownership over their professional development.
3. Create Personal Professional Roadmaps
Help your team chart their professional paths. These can look more like constellations rather than road maps, especially if people are following nonlinear or have portfolio careers.
Ask each person to point out the key experiences, moments, skills, and achievements that have shaped their career so far. Then, have them highlight the areas where they feel most aligned with their true selves or where there are gaps.
Encourage them to envision what this means to them today and for the future—not just in terms of promotions but in how they want to grow as professionals. These roadmaps can serve as both a reflection tool and a guide for future growth, helping your team see their careers as evolving journeys rather than static roles.
4. Facilitate “Career Belonging” Discussions
Building a sense of belonging in one’s career is another key theme in my work. Organize small group discussions where team members can share how they feel seen, known, and valued in their roles—or where they don’t. (Btw my new book on how to achieve career belonging is coming out August of 2025).
What parts of their professional identity do they feel are recognized, and what’s missing?
These discussions not only foster connection but also help each person clarify what they need to feel more aligned in their work. They might also uncover opportunities for you as a leader to better support them.
5. Incorporate “Professional Identity Check-Ins”
Make professional identity development a regular part of your team’s development by integrating check-ins during one-on-one meetings. Ask your team members:
How do you feel your role aligns with your strengths and passions?
Do you feel your authentic self is represented in your work?
What new parts of you are emerging that you want to explore?
These check-ins show that you value their professional growth and encourage them to continuously reflect on and evolve their identity at work. It also opens the door for ongoing dialogue about their career belonging.
Conclusion: Professional Identity Development for a Stronger Team
Helping your team develop their professional identity is about more than just career growth—it’s about empowering them to bring their whole selves to work. By facilitating activities that encourage reflection, hybrid thinking, and belonging, you create a team culture where everyone feels seen, known, and valued.
Want to dive deeper into these concepts? Check out my book More Than My Title to explore how you can build a team that thrives on professional identity and career belonging.