Living without a role-defined identity

After 12 years as the Work Futurist at Atlassian, Dom Price made the decision to leave a role so intertwined with who he was that even introducing himself meant saying those two things in the same breath. In this episode, Dom and I explore the human side of change - the fog, the discomfort, the loss of structure, and the surprising freedom that comes when you finally say out loud, “I don’t know yet.” 

Dom walks me through the reflection process that led to this moment, how he’s sitting with uncertainty rather than trying to outrun it, and the identity untangling that comes with stepping away from a global brand. We also dive into what he’s seeing inside boardrooms right now, why so many leaders are struggling to adapt to AI, and the mindset shift that separates those who thrive from those who wait it out. 

Dom and I discuss: 

• The realisation that it was time for change - even without knowing what came next 

• How Dom uses the “five Ls” every 90 days to check in on what’s working and what’s not 

• The emotional rollercoaster of losing structure, status, and the adrenaline of a big corporate role 

• How trusted friends helped Dom challenge his assumptions and experiment with “trying before buying” in his next chapter 

• What leaders are getting wrong about AI and transformation - and the three patterns Dom sees repeatedly in boardrooms 

• The human side of tech change and why organisations must upgrade their human systems, not just their technical ones 

• Why productivity gains don’t matter unless you know how to reinvest the time 

• The leadership behaviours that matter most in times of rapid change 

KEY QUOTES 

“Even though it was just one word, it felt like the wrapper around my whole identity.” 
“I had to say out loud, I’m okay not knowing what that is — and that was the hard bit.” 
“When you take away those foundations, it’s like a shot of discomfort I hadn’t felt for a long time.” 

Connect with Dom Price on Instagram, LinkedIn and his website. 

My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ 

Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) 

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) 

If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe 

Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. 

Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au 

Credits:
Host: Amantha Imber 
Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler 

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