For many, branding is a loaded word and not always a positive one. Why would we need to have our own brand? Well the truth is that we have one whether we want it or not.
Our brand is the way people perceive us. How others experience being in our presence determines what they think about us. This is essentially our positioning in their mind. Is it favorable or not so hot? Do they consider us reliable, helpful, easy to work with? All of their interactions with us, both in person (IRL) and online (how they see us on social media for those who may not experience being with us directly), collectively influence their impressions and the way people “brand” or position us.
The good news is that we actually do have a lot of control over how we act, what we say, how we appear and the ways in which we present ourselves. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself and others, to get a better sense of how you may actually be perceived in relation to how you want to be. This is a great opportunity to change reposition yourself.
- What do you CARE about? Are there 3 to 5 qualities that are important to you in how you work and who you are with. These can be very high level, like freedom or growth or social impact, or more practical, like collaboration, creativity and respect. You may have some professional values and some that are more personal. Consider finding the similarities across these to the extent that you hope to align who you are in all areas of your life. Think carefully about your values because these can become a powerful guide to future choices you make about everything from the types of role and companies that you will work with or for and the kinds of relationships you want to cultivate.
- What are you GOOD at? What skills do you have that distinguish you from others. Often our natural talents may be those aspects of ourselves that we take for granted. Think carefully about what others observe that you do well if you are finding this hard to evaluate yourself.
- What do you ENJOY doing? This is what you love and how you actually spend your time when it’s your choice. The goal is to be honest with yourself about your passions so that you can ideally find work that makes you happy.
- How can you HELP others? How do you want to be of service so that people can work with you and remember about you? Their experience is essentially your value proposition.
- What do you want to BE KNOWN FOR? What do you stand for? Which 3 words describe what you care about and how you want to show up in the world? This is your brand the essence of what people think of when they are asked about you.
Consciously considering and crafting your brand can be a powerful way to align your beliefs and desires with your reality. The more clarity you have and convey around who you are and what you stand for, the more authentic you will be.
If you would like some support around thinking through how best to position yourself to align your vision with your values, please contact us to arrange a complimentary Strategy Session to discuss your goals.
