What people actually need to do is to assess their personal brand strategy with the same thoroughness that successful companies like Apple, Virgin and others do for their brands. You need to look at what you want your purpose to be, whether as an employee, an entrepreneur, even as a life partner. From a solid purpose you can then build strategy and a powerful personal narrative – in short, the only way to build a powerful personal brand, one that will actually make any difference to your life, is to do it profoundly and deeply: to actually reinvent yourself – but authentically!
Simon Middleton is a qualified teacher, a registered nurse, and has been an advertising copywriter, creative director and board director of two successful agencies. He is the author of three books, the front man of the alt-country band The Proposition, and the founder of specialist music retailer Left Hand Bear which serves left-handed musicians all over the world, as well as running a respected brand consultancy.
Simons Top 10 tips:
1. Your personal brand isn’t about your qualifications or even how smart you are: it’s about making yourself of distinctive recognisable value, no matter how modest your role. Even if you have the lowliest job, if you do it with an absolute commitment to excellence then you will get noticed.
2. The greatest skill of all in a modern business or organisation is to be able to solve problems and to create more effective strategies. So instead of trying on the one hand just to ’fit in’ or on the other hand to be ’innovative’ for its own sake, strive instead actually to solve real problems. And remember that doesn’t mean having to be cleverer than others: sometimes it just means applying a little more attentiveness.
3. The second greatest skill is to be able to communicate your ideas with regard for others’ understanding and position. Nobody likes a show-off or stubbornness, least of all managers in organisations. So be clear and make your case with conviction, but never be arrogant or uncompromising.
4. In a small business, or in a team within a big organisation, your personal ’brand’ is best expressed through a compelling narrative about how and what you contribute. It’s no good claiming to be valuable. That’s like a comedian claiming to be funny. You have to ’be’ valuable.
5. Along the way, and especially when your contribution is being noticed, you will find others who try to stop you, trip you up, or trap you. Pay no heed to those, other than to be aware of them. Engaging in inter-staff warfare can only damage your personal brand and will never enhance your career.
6. Great brands are founded on authenticity, not on lies. Never, ever invent a better back story for yourself. You will, ultimately, be found out. Instead tell your real story: but tell it better by engaging emotions and imagination.
7. Don’t go for promotion just because you think you should. Don’t follow the career path as though it was pre-determined. It isn’t. Think about your career strategy. What do you really, truly want to be doing in two or five years’ time? If a promotion helps take you there that’s great. But if it doesn’t, consider other approaches. A different company? Working for yourself?
I am acca qualified accountant and have over 15 years experience working on a temp/contract basis for various companies.
I am now out of work and had been for over two years.can you give some advice on how to get back into the work environment.
Eric the best way back is temp to perm, but in terms of moral boosting I would advocate keeping up to date in terms of the latest software courses such as Sage Line 50, this can be done quite cheaply at local adult evening classes, you may also look at some of the volunteer accountant activities such as AFID shown on the site.