Backstage to frontstage: Digital theater for generation X executives

This study examines the personal branding of Generation X executives in Peru and Colombia in the context of social media. It focuses on the interactions between the internal processes of preparation (backstage) and the external processes of public projection (front stage) that shape their narrative on professional platforms. The research, which is qualitative in nature and phenomenological in design, was based on semi structured interviews with 18 executives who participated voluntarily. From the executives’ perspective, a detailed analysis of personal brand management is offered, emphasizing LinkedIn through the theoretical framework of Goffman’s dramaturgical theory. The findings identify three key stages in the Backstage: (a) psychological biases affecting personal brand management; (b) meanings attributed to personal brand and, (c) sense of purpose. On the front stage, three main stages stand out: (a) self-promotion on social media; (b) perception of the personal brand; and (c) job positioning. In addition, three standard self-promotion practices were identified: (a) sharing professional achievements; (b) sharing relevant content with followers; and, (c) posting motivational or personal development quotes. Likewise, perceptions of the personal brand were classified into three categories: (a) positive; (b) negative; and, (c) deficient. This work proposes a conceptual framework explaining how Generation X executives live and manage their brand in the digital age. Compared to previous studies, its novelty lies in its dramaturgical theory application to the Latin American context. This reveals how these leaders manage the tension between the front stage (public projection of their brand) and the backstage (internal identity construction processes), offering relevant implications for executives, professionals, and organizational leaders.