Recently I had a wonderful conversation with my friend and former colleague Geeta Jain of MentorW about the importance of having a personal brand. Here I reflect on my own brand and how it evolved over time and helped shape my career.
Defining a Brand
When I think about my personal brand, I consider what people around me can count on and have counted on me for throughout my career. It’s that list of skills, characteristics, and behaviors that allow me to excel at certain tasks and challenges, that define my values, and make me reliable and trustworthy. It’s how I position myself professionally and what has guided my success.
When I transitioned from a full-time executive career to an advisory and non-executive portfolio career a few years ago, my personal brand became increasingly important. No longer was I defined by my C-suite executive title, but instead by the skills and attributes I gained throughout my 30+ years of leadership.
My brand has evolved throughout the years, but what has always stayed with me is my ability to thrive in new and uncomfortable environments. It’s my deep desire to build high performing teams that are results driven and focused on customer success. I’ve learned what makes a high-performance team and am not afraid of making substantial changes to create new, stronger teams. A signature of my work has been managing myself out of a job, and moving to the next opportunity, while the team continues to flourish on their own.
Because my mentors, leaders, and colleagues understood my personal brand throughout my career, they sought me out for opportunities that they knew I would excel at, sometimes before I even did. And they were right! A strong personal brand instills faith in others that you’re the right person for the job.
Sticking to your Brand
It’s important to note that a personal brand is not stagnant and linear. Personal brands evolve and change as priorities and roles change. And sometimes aligning with your brand means making the hard decision to leave a role or a team that isn’t the right fit for you.
I always go back to the “why”. Your personal brand must be deeply tied to the “why” of your work. Start by figuring out what’s important to you, why you’re getting out of bed every day, and the impact you’d like to have. Reflect on your values and what you want to be held accountable for and let that move you toward success.