Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, defines Personal Branding as what people say when you are not in the room.
Many times we think people only say negative things about us when we are not in the room, which may not be the case. Often, people say about us what they know about us, gathered from how they experience us, through our personality, our work output, our voice, our presentations, our reports, et cetera.
This is your personal brand, and others experience it whether we are deliberate about it or not.
Like corporate brands, your personal brand can be a strong or weak brand, and it can be a positive or negative brand.
A strong personal brand knows what it is about. It is when you have identified your unique value proposition, what value you bring to the table. Others can tell what you are about and what problems you solve, in the workplace, in life, among your crowd. Career progression is easier when you have a strong brand.
On the other hand, weak personal brands try to be all things to everyone, and settle for doing what’s easy or obvious. A weak personal brand can hold us back either because people don’t know what we stand for or, worse, may be making inaccurate assumptions. Such a brand may not survive an organizational reshuffle, not because they are unable to add value, but because they do not stand out at anything, and appear to be one of the masses that must go.
While some brands are positive, others are negative brands. We all know that person we want on our team, we want them present when we are discussing a matter of grave importance. That person who must be present before the meeting is called to order, because they serve such value, and we enjoy the experience of them and what they represent. This represents a positive brand.
if you don’t know yourself, it’s impossible for you to operate in your fullest potential as personal brand.
Courtney Sargent
To the contrary, there are people we avoid and not because we owe them money! Some people have such negative energy, either because they complain too much, or shoot down every idea that is not from them. They could be obnoxious, or people that do not pull their weight. When they are absent, their presence is not missed. This lot represents a weak brand.
Rebuilding your brand
Weak brands can become strong brands with deliberate and strategic brand work and professional packaging, and negative brands can be turned around to serve you better. Working on your self-awareness is the first step towards improving a weak or negative personal brand.
Courtney Sargent, a Branding Specialist says that if you don’t know yourself, it’s impossible for you to operate in your fullest potential as personal brand.
As you review your performance in the year that has recently ended, remember to conduct a personal brand audit and ask yourself, how is my brand doing? What message do I want my brand to communicate this new year?
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