Whether you realize it or not,
you have a personal brand.
If I looked you up on Google
and didn't find anything about you
on the first page of results,
that's your personal brand.
If I found an out-of-date LinkedIn profile
or a bunch of random social media posts,
that, too, is your personal brand.
[The Way We Work]
People tend to think
about a personal brand as bragging,
self-promotion and all about yourself.
But it's actually something
much more important.
It's your reputation.
In other words,
it’s how people perceive you --
your friends, colleagues
or the general public --
and it's what people think about you
when they hear your name
as well as what people say about you
when you're not in the room.
In our connected world,
every single one of us
has a personal brand,
whether we like it or not.
This is because whenever we engage
with people both in person and online --
that’s every interaction or everything
we post, upload or comment on --
we're creating a reputational
narrative about ourselves.
Your reputation is already out there.
The question is: Do you want to be the one
who’s driving and shaping this story?
Or do you want chance
or algorithms to be doing it for you?
I think most people would agree
that they want to take control.
And what this means is we need to make
some very intentional decisions
so our brand stays in our hands.
Let me walk you through five key steps
to building a strong personal brand
in a way that feels good.
First, you need to figure out
what your goal is.
Let's start by answering
a foundational question:
What do you want your personal brand
to help you accomplish?
Are you looking to change jobs
or transition into a new industry,
and you need your brand
to reflect a new skill set?
Maybe you're looking to get a promotion
at your current organization
and you need everyone to know
all the amazing things
that you've accomplished in your career.
Or maybe you're launching a new business
and you want to build your brand
around the products or services
that you're offering.
Whatever your goal is,
write it down and make it specific
so that you're working
towards a clear outcome.
Next, you'll want to get clear
on what you want to be known for.
In other words, how do you want people
to describe you as a professional?
Start by answering the question,
"So what do you do?"
And I'm not just talking
about your job title.
Are you a teacher who focuses
on social and emotional learning?
Or maybe you're a project manager
who is reliable and always gets
things done on time.
Or maybe you're an artist
who makes beautiful ceramic pots
from natural materials.
What you want to do
is dig deeper into the what,
how and why behind your work
so you can make it concrete
and easy to remember.
Just make sure to lead with something
that doesn't cause confusion.
For example,
I once coached someone
who called herself a "death midwife,"
which no one understood.
But when she started introducing herself
as a grief counselor
who works with families
during a time of loss,
all of a sudden everyone got it.
If you're stumped, think
about how you can stand out
from the crowd in your industry.
What are the things that make you unique?
Are there specific talents and expertise
that you've acquired in your career?
What do you know more about
than most people?
Sit down and make a list
and you might start to surprise yourself
about all the things you know.
Now let's think about the audience
you want to share
your personal brand with.
The reality is, your personal
brand is not about you.
It's about the people you want
to educate with the skills,
knowledge and value you can provide.
Who you decide to focus on
should be based on two things:
the goal of your personal brand
and the people who can best benefit
from your unique talents and skills.
So spend some time thinking
about these two questions:
Who can most gain
from what you have to share,
and how exactly can you see
yourself helping them?
Here's where it all starts
to come together.
Let's pull all your answers
into a single mission statement
that describes who you are, what you do,
who you do it for
and the transformation
you can create in people's lives.
Let's take the example of the teacher.
“My name is Alma,
and I’m a third-grade teacher
who specializes in social
and emotional learning.
I work with students
to teach them the skills
for fostering empathy and compassion
so they can thrive and contribute
to a more caring world."
Let's take the project manager.
“My name is Jennifer,
and I'm a project manager
for a sustainable fashion company.
I work with teams
across different departments
to plan, organize and direct
innovative marketing campaigns
that engage customers
while also increasing brand loyalty."
Mission statements
are going to look wildly different
depending on who you are in your career.
But whatever your mission statement is,
write it down and put it
somewhere prominent.
You can use it to make decisions
about how you speak about yourself
when you first meet someone,
to the communities
you want to share it with.
Let's start building
your personal brand online.
There are two key personal branding assets
you should think about developing:
a personal website and social media.
What's so important
about a personal website
is that it allows you to take full control
over your online reputation.
It offers the most flexibility in sharing
your brand and value to others
in a much deeper way
than a resume or a LinkedIn profile.
People want to work with others
they like, know and trust,
and your personal website
provides you an opportunity
to share more about your
personality through photos
as well as more about your
career and life story.
This, in turn will differentiate you
from others in your industry.
Social media is also a great way
to share your personal brand
with the audience
you're looking to connect with.
However, I suggest trying
not to be on every platform.
Pick one that aligns with your goals
as well as where your audience
spends most of its time.
If you're an artist or a creative,
Instagram is a great fit.
If you work in a more
corporate environment,
LinkedIn is the place you want to be.
When posting, focus
on being helpful to others.
Share interesting articles
relevant to your industry,
post ideas or opinions
that can benefit colleagues,
and like or comment on posts
shared by the people you follow.
The key is to always engage in a way
that both reinforces your personal brand
while also bringing value to others.
Look, I know this may all sound
a bit intimidating,
but try to think of this branding process
as an opportunity for personal growth.
It's your chance to dig deeper
into who you truly are
and who you want to become.
This, in turn, will provide you
the clarity you need
on how you can make
your greatest impact in the world.