Earlier this week, I spoke at PMI (Project Management Institute) Inland Empire on “Elevating Your Personal Brand and Advancing Your Career”. We had an intriguing, interactive discussion on how critical branding is to each of our careers and personal success. Although we must be competent, if we do not distinguish ourselves from our competition, colleagues and other project teams, we will not accomplish nearly what we would if we did!
Do you know what your colleagues would say about you? How does it stack up with how you’d like to be seen?
One tip to implement this week:
Start by jumping right in. Take a few minutes to THINK about how you think you are known. Which qualities do you think you are known for? Are there unique factors that distinguish you from your colleagues? What are they? Once you’ve spent some time getting to know yourself, ask your colleagues, friends, employees, and manager. Ask them for your strengths. It is always best to build a brand on strengths. Don’t worry about weaknesses right now.
How does what you think and what your colleagues think compare? Perhaps you have some additional strengths you weren’t thinking about. I find that we usually underestimate our positive qualities.
Remember, perception is reality. If you like it, build upon it. If you don’t like it, change it. It is quite doable! It is well worth spending time on your personal brand as it is how people will see you. Your brand can get you “in the door” you’d like to get in – whether a job interview, on the most exciting project team or the promotion you desire.
February 13, 2017