Sharing who you are at work

[Queen Jess]

This might sound strange, but we are required at work to run a big meeting and in it the people running it always put up photos of themselves and talk about what they like doing and their families etc. Apparently, my turn is coming up and although I have no desire to run it or stand in front of lots of people, what is really annoying me is that I do not want to share photos of myself of what I like doing.

Maybe I am being a misery, but these days I never do anything for myself... everything is for my son, husband etc and I never, ever get to do anything I want. Starting my website (in process) is my current indulgence to do something I want for me (which I tend to do on my mobile whilst holding a sleeping baby or on a really good day, downstairs in the evening on my laptop). I prefer to keep work and home separate and sharing stuff about what I like doing in my spare time and my son I feel is intrusive and unnecessary. Sure, if people bothered to get to know me then they would find this out, but I don't want to voluntarily share the few things I feel are mine and private to a room of 50 people. I want to keep what I like doing to myself.

Am I being unreasonable?

 

[Queen Jess]

This might sound strange, but we are required at work to run a big meeting and in it the people running it always put up photos of themselves and talk about what they like doing and their families etc. Apparently, my turn is coming up and although I have no desire to run it or stand in front of lots of people, what is really annoying me is that I do not want to share photos of myself of what I like doing.

Maybe I am being a misery, but these days I never do anything for myself... everything is for my son, husband etc and I never, ever get to do anything I want. Starting my website (in process) is my current indulgence to do something I want for me (which I tend to do on my mobile whilst holding a sleeping baby or on a really good day, downstairs in the evening on my laptop). I prefer to keep work and home separate and sharing stuff about what I like doing in my spare time and my son I feel is intrusive and unnecessary. Sure, if people bothered to get to know me then they would find this out, but I don't want to voluntarily share the few things I feel are mine and private to a room of 50 people. I want to keep what I like doing to myself.

Am I being unreasonable?

Plus also frankly I am in a day to day struggle to hold everything together (not yet worked out my plan for life) and I would prefer not for work and the rest of my life to collide. Keeping everything in its own box feels better for me.

 

[Jon]

This might sound strange, but we are required at work to run a big meeting and in it the people running it always put up photos of themselves and talk about what they like doing and their families etc. Apparently, my turn is coming up and although I have no desire to run it or stand in front of lots of people, what is really annoying me is that I do not want to share photos of myself of what I like doing.

Maybe I am being a misery, but these days I never do anything for myself... everything is for my son, husband etc and I never, ever get to do anything I want. Starting my website (in process) is my current indulgence to do something I want for me (which I tend to do on my mobile whilst holding a sleeping baby or on a really good day, downstairs in the evening on my laptop). I prefer to keep work and home separate and sharing stuff about what I like doing in my spare time and my son I feel is intrusive and unnecessary. Sure, if people bothered to get to know me then they would find this out, but I don't want to voluntarily share the few things I feel are mine and private to a room of 50 people. I want to keep what I like doing to myself.

Am I being unreasonable?

Your first paragraph covers the issue, the second one just backs that up

As a manager at work it can be hard trying to do things like this that everyone feels comfortable with. We ask staff to rotate running meetings so they all get experience of it HOWEVER is a member of staff does has a reason why they don't feel comfortable talking infront of a room of their peers then we work around that.

Have a chat with your boss, explain you don't feel comfortable doing it or it is causing you anxiety and I imagine that will be the end of it.

 

[Jacquiesce]

I second what Jon has said, as a manager I would not want to put any pressure on my team if not required. I often have to get my staff to cover doing presentations if I'm double booked but only if they feel comfortable doing so and I definitely wouldn't be pushing them to stand up and give personal presentations. I have a member of staff that suffers badly from anxiety and if they don't feel comfortable with doing something different I don't have any issues with it. My staffs wellbeing is more important, hopefully if you make it clear that you are not able to do it to your manager then it will be fine.

 

[homie]

Just skip that part of the meeting. I would suggest your introduction needs to be as simple as
"Good morning, I'm Queen Jess. If you don't know me, I work in blah blah department, currently working on the thingy project and have worked here for three years." Then get on with whatever it is the meeting is supposed to be about.

 

[kayfabe17]

Alternatively, take the time to fabricate and perpetuate a new and exciting double life as far as your co-workers are concerned!