Crafting Your Personal Brand
Personal Brand
Brand makes things memorable. It shapes the narrative and our expectations. It builds trust. And for career success, you need to do the same …
In this module, you will:
Explore the components that blend to help create an effective personal brand
Practice creating your brand, understanding that it is a work in progress, constantly
The thing is, everybody has an opinion. It’s second nature, an autopilot feature of the human condition. After each interaction, everyone remembers something about you, whether or not you planted that seed. The reason for a brand is to craft a personal narrative that will work for you; to shape the unconscious perceptions and accelerate how positive perceptions might advance your career.
What is Brand?
Brand – we all know it when we experience it. We are instinctively attuned to the difference between a BMW and a Ford. Without even a smell or a sip, we viscerally taste the difference between Starbucks and Dunkin’ – and then we can picture their environments and know clearly how we want to start our day.
We can think of various politicians, news personalities, and actors – and we can describe who and how they are. And interestingly, there is similarity in how these people are described by others … and that is brand.
And, while YOU are not a product, the brand you set will create the “expectations, memories, stories and relationships, that when taken together” set the narrative that describes you. This brand narrative will open doors more quickly, help others accept your ideas; help others engage in your efforts and include you in theirs; and ultimately, help others consistently support you in your career.
Several components blend together to create a brand that guides a career. It takes understanding the past, present and future, as well as some reading between the lines, to aggregate the right information and shape a meaningful brand. Take a look at the following suggestions, and use what works best for you.
Name Your Special Contribution
(service, style, talent, etc.)
Each of us a set of skills and behaviors that combine to define how we show up and what we can give at work. Sometimes the parameter of our role, and the requirements of our tasks, don’t align and showcase what we’re best at, or what we want to do. Thus, it’s important to articulate the strengths and skills that optimize your contribution, so that your position can be a win-win for the organization and you.
Many people know what you’re required to do in your role. But, only you know what work makes you tick and fuels your energy. Defining this type of work is the place to start with your brand. What are you good at? And, what do you want to do for the longer term?
What Matters to You?
(Values? Happiness drivers? Passions?)
Skills and strengths can be amplified or crushed pending the environment for action. Imagine being a life long vegan, interviewed over lunch at a beef restaurant, to work your dream job, but for the meat packers union. Extreme example, but you get the point.
You want to do your best work with an organization and environment that aligns with your values and passions. If you’re a life long learner, you may not thrive in an organization that doesn’t value training and development. Similarly, if you’re a qualitative thinker, ‘a real people person,’ you might be uncomfortable in a metric-driven, quantitative environment. If you value grey, then it’s hard to participate in strictly black and white.
A job may focus on what you do, but a career is much more than that. A career is about how and why you do your work, and a career is best aligned with you values and passions.
Create your own “personal brand tag line”
Effective personal branding comes down to a simple and poignant descriptor. It needs to be a few words that says it all. Think: small foot print with big impact.
Take Nike as an example. In Greek mythology, Nike is the Winged Goddess of Victory. The logo is derived from goddess' wing. You might think of the sound of the wing as 'swoosh', and remarkably it also mirrors the outline shape of the wing. And now the ‘swoosh’ symbolizes the sound of speed, movement, power and motivation.
We all know and instantly respond to the iconic swoosh. It tells the whole story, including setting our expectations as a consumer, conveying expectations as an athlete, and motivating behavior on a consistent basis. You might just run faster with new Nikes.
For you, a personal brand packs the punch of this logo without the iconic art. It’s something about you that stands out as memorable, not just once but repeatedly across interactions. It should be as unique and consistent as your signature, so that it helps people anticipate and expect your contribution and results.
Clear and Strong, but Silent
And a personal brand is never really said out loud. It’s not as if you attend a conference, and introduce yourself as “I’m the Nike guy – I just get it done!” Your brand is something that centers you; it’s a reference point to guide your behaviors before important interactions and across a series of events. It helps you focus and demonstrate your strengths and values as you navigate your career interactions and development. It becomes the voice in your head that allows you to make good decisions, to set yourself up for success and to stave off competitive tendencies that surge when you compare yourself with others. Let your personal brand become your compass to guide you on your career journey.
Putting Your Brand to Work
Imagine it’s a random Wednesday, and you just happen to cross paths with an important leader in your organization. Casually, she asks, “Hey [your name], I remember you from the [past event]. So what are you doing these days?”
You’re actually a bit shocked, and taken back. Mostly leaders just walk by, but this time …
You only have a moment to reinforce an impression, perhaps the length of time it takes an elevator to climb or descend floors.
Are you ready with a clear, memorable response?
Brand = Elevator Speech
The purpose of the infamous elevator speech is to be ready for a spontaneous interaction that delivers high, memorable impact within a short time. That’s how you need to respond when a leader gives you the opportunity. Be current, crisp and calculated --- all with a natural, authentic delivery. Sound overly complex? Not with thoughtfulness and practice.
Here’s a sample “branded pitch” in this situation:
Hi! I remember that meeting. I’m still doing data analysis on that project which I love; and I’ve grown the team to 6 people. We should deliver measurable results by Q3. Would you like me to keep you posted?
Now, let’s break it down:
“Hi! I remember that meeting” – reestablish personal connection
“doing data analysis” – share your competency
“which I love” – reinforce what you want to do
“grown the team” – demonstrate accomplishment and next level readiness
“deliver results” – demonstrate measurable contribution
“keep you posted” – build ongoing connection
Or, imagine an adhoc situation where the leader doesn’t know you, but you want to make your mark.
Hi [name]. I’m [your name], from x [part of organization]. I enjoyed your talk at the last town hall. I’m doing data analysis on the xx project. I would love to tell you more about it, and learn how it impacts your organization. I want to be as synergistic as possible. Can I email you to connect more?.
Let’s break it down:
Don’t hesitate to say your name. It’s reinforcing. And, sometimes it stops the awkward pause. And most importantly, your elevator speech isn’t lost because the listener is just searching their mind for your name.
“add context” – adding context will help build memory and follow up
“enjoyed your talk” – establish connection; use a detail here if you can
“doing data analysis” – share your competency or expertise
“learn more” – show initiative and cross functional awareness
“can I email you …” – build ongoing connection
Neither of these examples might be perfect for you, but they illustrate the process of delivering your brand consistently and proactively to reinforce your career goals. To be best prepared, you should practice a few versions in advance, so that you’re ready to adapt your example when the opportunity arises.
Act with Intent
The second benefit of your personal brand is to help practically focus your actions and behaviors. We all risk getting carried away in the rushing tides of work, which potentially diminishes our attention to interacting effectively with others. We find ourselves rushing from meeting to meeting with different audience groups, never taking the time to personally reset, or to think about the unique needs of each group. With attention to your brand and your actions, you proactively determine how you want to show up, and you calibrate your behavior to make that happen. It’s about monitoring the impact of the message and the messenger to insure that the right things are remembered. So, for one group of executives you might want to clear, succinct and direct; while later that day, your team might need patience and empathy. Being aware of your brand, and your behavior styles, allows you to switch gears intentionally, creating the best interactions across your work.
Network with Intent
Your personal brand is also a great launching point for career networking. In analyzing your strengths and values, and forecasting what you want in a career, you’re prepared to have more meaningful conversations about contributing to the organization via new roles. When you know who you are and what you want, it’s easier to seek information and evaluate options. You will bring a calm confidence to conversations, and be more aware of synergistic opportunities. And, you’ll leave a lasting impression that helps shape next steps.
Remember, the thing is, everybody has an opinion. It’s second nature, an autopilot feature of the human condition. After each interaction, everyone remembers something about you, whether or not you planted that seed. The reason for a brand is to craft a personal narrative to work for you; to shape the unconscious perceptions and accelerate how positive perceptions might advance your career.
We are our own Collage –
While most work related mindsets aim to create linear and iterative processes to depict how things work, the PowerUP approach looks at the mash up that makes us human in our work. This program may be frustrating at times because it is not lines and boxes, sequential processes, or neat equations with simple answers, but that’s not the reality of career satisfaction. Rather, it’s about looking at the collage of things that mix together in our experiences, and beginning to reflect on patterns and how they impact us, to recognize what we can do to drive our strength and happiness.
In a way, this program is about building collages that represent who we are, and how we interact in the world … and gaining clarity, strength and staying power through the process.
Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken – Oscar Wilde
What’s your Career Brand Collage?
When you think of your career brand – what images come to mind? What is the collage that can best describe you and what you want?
Add to the Conversation ---
Who has a well-crafted memorable brand? How would you describe them?
Are you ready to craft your brand? What’s in your way?
Will crafting your brand increase or decrease your confidence?
Is it better to craft a brand for your job, or for your career?