Lisa’s Generation Relations Blog

Hi All!

I conduct workshops and seminars for employees of corporations (many attendees are Millennials) on how and why developing a Personal (Leadership) Brand platform for themselves is important to their career growth, success and advancement. And I also discuss this quite a bit in my second book, “Millennials Into Leadership: The Ultimate Guide for Gen Y’s Aspiring to Be Effective, Respected, Young Leaders at Work”.

Here is a brief overview, that I call D.A.C.C., which explains why, even if you’re an employee and not self-employed, developing your own Personal Brand in the workforce is necessary (and you should start creating yours NOW, regardless of your role/level…even if you’re an entry-level employee!!!):

DIFFERENTIATION:

• Makes you stand out in the sea of other employees
• Communicates who you are to your peers, leadership, employees and clients

AUTHENTICITY:

• Allows you to speak and act authentically
• Prevents you from being “fake”
• Gives you clarity “about you” and what you stand for
• Great Quote: “To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are!”

CONSISTENCY:

• Makes people know how you will act and handle situations, consistently
• Enables others to know who you are and what they can expect from you, consistently
• Regardless of who are interacting with, your personality and demeanor, are consistent

CLARITY:

• You know what you stand for and act accordingly
• Gives you clarity, and others clarity, on your core values
• Helps keep you on track: “If I do this or say this, is it supporting or diluting my Personal Brand?”
• Keeps your moral compass in-check when faced with questionable situations that could tempt you

Take some time to think about your core values, work ethic, personality, and unique attributes that you bring to a work environment, and write your own Personal Brand Positioning Statement. And then once it’s crafted to your liking, proclaim it, live it, and BE your brand!

BTW: I even know some employees who have taken it a step further and added a “visual brand” element to their overall branding. What do I mean by this? One woman I know always wears striped socks at work, and she is known for that (as well as her positive personal attributes); and one young man I know is known for always wearing funny hats to work. Think of this in terms of Donald Trump and his hair…we all may laugh at it, but he is keenly aware that it’s part of his visual brand, he knows it is a topic of conversation, and he loves that the media talks about it.

In the book that I wrote (mentioned above), I have a whole chapter with quotes from senior executives about the importance of personal branding, as it pertains to leadership, in the workforce. One that I love, and that really sticks with me, is: “Be aware that people are watching what you say and what you don’t say, and what you do and what you don’t do. Your next opportunities, and indeed reputation, will be impacted by the actions and decisions you make day-to-day…everyday.”

By determining your personal brand at work, and living it consistently, you are building and creating a “reputation” that can foster career success – faster than the employees who choose not to.

Bye for now!

Lisa