Reading this, I keep thinking about how social capital and Meg Jay’s idea of identity capital are really two sides of the same coin. In The Defining Decade, she talks about identity capital as the collection of small experiences, habits, and choices that slowly build up who we are. It’s not just about skills or credentials. It’s about your reputation, the way you show up, and those small moments when you help someone or keep your word. These moments stick with people. They say more about you than any line on a CV.
So, when you help a colleague on a Friday afternoon or give credit to someone in public, you are building both your social capital and your identity capital at the same time. One helps you move work forward, the other shapes how people remember you. Over time, this is what really matters. This is what creates momentum. It is almost invisible in the moment, but later on, you realize these little actions made all the difference in your career and in the trust people place in you. In the end, it is about building both, little by little, every day.
I enjoy learning about identity capital and how it helps others to share how they remember you. Those little actions build momentum, and while they might feel invisible, they compound like interest. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, William!
I really like the idea of the Friday gratitude messages. I have done that on an ad-hoc basis, but not a routine one. Thank you, great suggestion Rafa (plus many others here)!
This was a very nice reading, as always!
Reading this, I keep thinking about how social capital and Meg Jay’s idea of identity capital are really two sides of the same coin. In The Defining Decade, she talks about identity capital as the collection of small experiences, habits, and choices that slowly build up who we are. It’s not just about skills or credentials. It’s about your reputation, the way you show up, and those small moments when you help someone or keep your word. These moments stick with people. They say more about you than any line on a CV.
So, when you help a colleague on a Friday afternoon or give credit to someone in public, you are building both your social capital and your identity capital at the same time. One helps you move work forward, the other shapes how people remember you. Over time, this is what really matters. This is what creates momentum. It is almost invisible in the moment, but later on, you realize these little actions made all the difference in your career and in the trust people place in you. In the end, it is about building both, little by little, every day.
I wrote about it here: https://williammeller.com/building-career-experience-with-identity-capital/
I enjoy learning about identity capital and how it helps others to share how they remember you. Those little actions build momentum, and while they might feel invisible, they compound like interest. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, William!
I really like the idea of the Friday gratitude messages. I have done that on an ad-hoc basis, but not a routine one. Thank you, great suggestion Rafa (plus many others here)!