WHEN a person mentions “brand”, we typically associate it with a business, product or service – something inanimate. Businesses spend good money to brand themselves, all in the name of reputation and image, and of course, higher revenue.
Whether you work at a bank, are an entrepreneur or doing something else, it is useful and important to develop your personal brand.
Those of us in the corporate world normally identify ourselves with our employer. During a dinner or social event, the first sentence that we might utter when meeting someone usually goes like this: “Hello, I am so-and-so, a financial controller from (name of employer)”.
Our name is usually followed by what we do for a living and our company.
Those in between jobs could find it uncomfortable to introduce themselves, because they do not have an employer’s name to attach their own.
There will come a day when we leave the full-time working world. How then will we introduce ourselves to others?
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Like it or not, we somewhat associate ourselves – and with that, our self-worth and identity – with the company or business we are engaged with. There is a scenario where we might lose our sense of self-worth if we are unable to anchor ourselves to an organisation or what we do for a living.
It is therefore important that we develop our personal brand identity, as it defines our values and who we are as individuals, without attaching anything else to it.
Personal branding
What images do you think others will conjure when they read about a 20-year-old woman who excels in a sport at the national level, say, a sprinter? They might describe her as a young achiever who is focused.
As a coach, I would definitely encourage the athlete to think about branding seriously as she is just taking off from the starting block (pun intended) in life, and has a long journey ahead of her. How her personal brand develops will depend on how she chooses to live her life from here on.
She would want to consider the brand she wishes to own, and how she wants others to perceive her. Here are some options: resilient, speaks her mind, generous, has a heart for the less-advantaged.
Assuming these are the qualities she wishes to associate her brand with, she would then be guided by these qualities in everything she does and says. Over time, the perceptions she receives will be exactly those that she had decided.
Someone else might say: “But I’m not exactly starting my career now. In fact, I’m already a C-suite in a multinational company. Is it too late for me to begin branding myself?”
The answer is no – and the adage “better late than never” can be applied here.
Begin your deliberate branding exercise by gathering some feedback from people close to you, especially those whom you think are likely to speak the truth and not sugar-coat their views.
The conversation could go something like this: “When you hear my name, or see my name in the media, what images come to your mind?”
Later on, decide if you are good with the feedback, or if you want to do some tweaking.
If you are satisfied with the assessments, reflect on how you have conducted yourself during your leadership journey, and continue what you have been doing so the perceptions of your brand stick.
Changing perceptions
Let us assume you want to change the perception that you are impatient and not a good listener.
People usually listen with the intent to respond, but not to understand. When we do so, we do not listen as attentively because our mind is processing what has been said and formulating a response, even before our conversational partner finishes.
This fault line has been the cause of much miscommunication, and this translates to misunderstanding, quarrels and unproductive time spent on clarifying issues.
There is a tenant in my service office that is well known for all the wrong reasons. He speaks loudly, patronises and threatens whoever is unfortunate enough to be on the other end of the line. What is more, he utters vulgarities.
What is his brand? To err on the side of politeness, I will just say that he is someone who has no respect for the feelings of others.
So, what should you do if you wish to rebrand yourself?
The first step towards change is awareness, and the desire to change. When these are in place, be a lot more deliberate in focusing on your listening skills. Take deep breaths, and mentally count to 10 after the talking by the other party stops. Nature abhors a vacuum.
You may well find that the other party continues to speak when no one else is speaking. Respond only when you are quite sure that they are ready for a response.
Over time, and with discipline and diligence, the perception and branding of you as impatient and a poor listener will begin to change.
In my case, I have been managing my boutique firm for the past 25 years.
During this time, and even now, I have managed to brand myself as a coach who is family-oriented and active with volunteerism.
For the past six years or so, I have been known for my active volunteerism with Dementia Singapore, and I let people know that I am an advocate for persons with dementia and their caregivers.
So, what is your brand?
The writer is an executive coach and the founder of NeXT Career Consulting Group, Asia
