Approaches to understanding a need and building an objective driven personal branding strategy is the key – and here, no one but the individual himself/herself can take the right steps.
At the Entry level, it’ll be about highlighting one’s capabilities, of the skill-sets one brings to the table – to tell the ecosystem around them – “this is what I can do for you – use me effectively!” In most cases this leads to a conducive work environment and effective utilisation of a person’s talents. Often paving the right direction to one’s career. Most of us get drawn so much into our daily lives that we get sucked into the ‘worker phenomenon’. Listening to instructions, landing-up with a cute puppy face at every beck and call of our seniors. And hence it is absolutely important to ‘self realise’ and be clear about a plan for one’s career at this stage.
At the middle level – personal branding helps set oneself apart from peers. This is the moment in a person’s career when he/she needs to highlight successes and use something I’ve coined over years as a ‘pedestal approach’ to dealing with everyday life. Think of placing your work station (an open one at that) at the centre of the office and overlooking your boss’ cabin as well as at the centre of the entire office. This is a bold step – everyone would know the time you step into office, the time you leave work and how you spend your time working. And yet, this is a commitment you make to yourself – to ensure you build the right 6-lane highway and not a mere ‘path’ towards a successful career.
The Leadership Level is when it gets a tad trickier – an individual is usually already being watched closely. By this stage there are pre-built stereotypes and hierarchies drawn strongly within a working group. Of who gets all the external limelight, who becomes the face of the function and tada tada tada…et al. Most individuals get drawn into a power struggle at this stage. Often comparing growth possibilities within the limits of another senior. Almost always creating a ceiling in one’s mind on possible achievements and yet, always thinking self-growth means waiting for someone else to de-accelerate. Instead, this is the moment in life when I suggest individuals to follow a ‘neon sign’ approach.
Go out there, network, meet, create bridges with influencers, peers from other ecosystems; shortlist people who have an influence on your business, the decision makers within your organisations. This is the ‘boomerang catalyst’ of success at the place you are. When third party high beta influencers highlight your capabilities to your inward ecosystem – growth follows.
Personal branding is more about self-realisation – knowing your strengths and being able to shine a lamp at the dark corners of our capabilities that we often suppress thinking, ‘what’s the big deal’.
People I’ve facilitated over the years are today APAC heads, Senior Business Heads, CEO’s and in two cases have even quit their highly successful MNC careers to pursue their dreams of a start-up (super successfully at that too!). It’s only recently that the word ‘personal branding’ has slowly started slipping into the regular vocab of individuals. I’ve been a facilitator to several individuals over the last 7 years. Everything I’ve done up until recently has purely been on a pro bono basis. All of those individuals have referred peers, reportees and in some case their seniors who’ve approached and have begun work on multiple facets the moment they knew I’m available – it simply shows that most people get it!
This was originally written for @PrMomentIndia and thank you, @PaarulChand for getting me thinking.
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