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If you’ve always thought of a
“brand” as essentially something that’s created by marketers
to enable them to charge more for a product or and have it
stand out in a crowd, then the notion of “personal branding”
would seem to be completely out of alignment with a
philosophy that values authenticity and being the real you.
Yet personal branding experts advise that the strongest
brands are those that are based on authenticity. In essence,
they are established from the “inside-out”.
In the words of personal branding guru, William Arruda …
Branding is all about
authenticity. Volvo couldn’t communicate safety is their
brand if their cars exploded every time they were in an
accident. The same is true for personal branding. Your
personal brand is based in what is real, true and
genuine. Anne Morrow Lindbergh once said “the most
exhausting thing you can be is inauthentic.” Great
advice when you are building your personal brand.
Personal branding is permission to be you.
Coach’s Question
#1:
How would other people describe your brand?
How is this aligned with your own view of yourself?
Bill* is a Toronto-based sales
executive who had been looking for a new role for over a
year since his company relocated to Ireland. While he had
been paid a generous severance, there was a lot riding on
the success of his candidacy for this position. Bill and his
wife are supporting three university-aged children and his
wife is on disability. Needless to say, landing the position
was important to Bill.
In the process of interviewing for the role, Bill
essentially “sold himself in” to the position. There were
many aspects of the job that were unappealing for Bill and
didn’t play to his strengths. He felt that once he was
hired, however, he could start to make changes in the role.
Unfortunately, Bill’s approach is a recipe for
disappointment and frustration—both for himself and the
hiring organization. (It’s almost like marrying someone and
thinking that you’ll change them after the wedding.)
When working with coaching clients hired into a new
organization, one of the first questions I ask is “How
well-aligned is the image you presented through the hiring
process with who you really are?” In the pressure to
perform and be successful in the hiring process, it is not
uncommon for candidates to emphasize characteristics that
are not truly their own.
In the Clearing the 90-Day Hurdle™ coaching-plus-consulting
process, we go through a process of clarifying strengths and
development needs, so that new hires can present themselves
to their new organization as authentically as possible.
When I conducted intensive interviews with line executives,
human resources leaders and executive search consultants,
they all advised of the importance of “being yourself” when
entering a new organization.
This may seem to be a very simplistic and obvious piece of
advice, yet the pressure of meeting the expectations of a
new role, new boss and new organization can lead many new
hires to try so hard that they end up “acting a part”. This
persona can be very difficult to maintain over time and can
get in the way of developing strong relationships with
others in the new environment.
Today’s organizations expect people at all levels to be
honest about whom they are and authentic in how they
interact with others. Best-selling leadership books are
addressing the topics of “authentic leadership”, “leadership
from the inside-out”, integrity and humility.
Coach’s Question
#2
What genuine personal strengths could you demonstrate
more powerfully to reinforce your brand?
A personal brand that is in
essence a facade will negatively impact self confidence due
to the internal disconnect. The person feels like an
impostor and others will sense the lack of authenticity and
confidence. Branding is not about projecting a false image
for the outside world.
In my work with women executives and visible minority
leaders, I particularly notice the impact of being
inauthentic on personal branding. Sadly, in an effort to
“blend in” and follow the leadership of senior role models
available in their organizations (typically white male
executives), it is quite common for women and minority
leaders to put on a cloak of inauthentic behaviours in an
effort to be accepted and to achieve success. Often the
pressures are so ever-present that this adjusting is
completely unconscious. Strengths and unique characteristics
are hidden in order to fit into a traditional,
male-dominated, homogeneous culture.
As a result, these leaders are perceived to be quite
different from who they know themselves to be. Overtime this
can become very disillusioning. In mid-life or later in
their careers, such leaders often come to executive coaching
with the feeling that “something’s not right” or
“something’s missing”. Others check-out of the organization
or corporate life altogether because they feel so trapped by
a personal brand that is not consistent with who they are
and they have no idea how to resolve the situation.
Coach’s Question
#3
How are you adapting your behaviour to fit into your
understanding of what’s important to be successful in your
organization?
How does this align with who you are?
Thus, your personal brand is
deeply rooted in your authentic personal identity. The true
goal of personal branding is to be known for who you are and
what you value. Your personal brand plan can become your own
compass, guiding your behaviours and communications so that
you demonstrate clarity and consistency in all your
interactions.
Your personal brand captures what is unique about YOU; it’s
not about differentiating a commodity.
I’m interested in hearing your stories about ways you have
looked at your own personal branding. Send me an email with
your feedback or questions to
info@clearingthe90dayhurdle.com
* all names and identifying details have been changed to
protect client confidentiality
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