Role: "A function or position. A character or part played by a performer."

In his song Man at the Top, Bruce Springstein quotes the old nursery rhyme, "Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief. Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief." We often describe people by the roles they play. Indeed, every individual is a multi-role performer on the stage of life.

People inherit some roles (e.g. father, daughter, citizen), while some are consciously sought (e.g. student, president, or Man at the Top). Others may be forced upon a person (e.g. theft victim, celebrity).

At any one time, a person can be acting in multiple roles (e.g. father, husband, employee, mayor). Much has been written about a person's role balance (how an individual can address or cope with complementary or conflicting roles).

Role balance has also been used to describe team performance. In managing teams of people, I like to seek work toward Synergistic Creativity, where a team with complementary roles can create much more than the sum of each team member's individual creativity. I recently learned that Patrick R. Dugan of Ohio State University claims to have coined that term.

Roles usually imply relationships (e.g. The role of Father implies a relationship with a child; the role of citizen implies a relationship with a political entity). Even an independent role (e.g. human being) has implied relationships (e.g. each human has a mother). Some roles are identified primarily by former relationships (e.g. ex-con, ex-wife, former president)

A few examples of roles are categorized below:

Individual

• Human Being
• Actor
• Actress
• Celebrity

Family

• Father
• Mother
• Brother
• Sister
• Grandparent
• Uncle
• Aunt
• Wife
• Fiance

Professional

• Employee
• Manager

Community

• Mayor
• Senator
• Representative
• President

Commerce

• Vendor
• Buyer
• Seller
• Cardholder
• Addressee

Occupation

• Butcher
• Baker
• Doctor
• Lawyer
• Fireman

Education

• Teacher
• Student
• Administrator
• Author
• Reader
• Mentor

Organization

• Pastor
• Leader
• Parishoner
• Member
• Bishop
• Confessor

Sports

• Quarterback
• Power forward
• Goalie

Interpersonal

• Friend
• Enemy
• Servant
• Slave
• Master

A "role model" is a person in whom another person places trust or attempts to imitate. Charles Barkley is often quoted as saying, "I am not a role model. . . parents should be role models."

In the world of Digital Identity, linking roles with access privileges enables Role Based Access Control (RBAC). I'll comment on RBAC in a separate blog entry.

One more thing - as you read this, you are experiencing the role of "blog reader." I have enjoyed my role as "blog writer." Good day!

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Tags: Identity Digital Identity Identity Management Identity Map Role RBAC Bruce Springstein