17 Feb Ten Ideas for Your Personal Brand
Original Spanish version published in El Comercio newspaper (Peru) on February 17, 2012
- Managing your personal brand assertively is not going out and promoting yourself. It is managing your reputation in a professional world where competitiveness is also credibility.
- Managing your brand involves having a positive impact on the perceptions of others and is closely related to your ethics, your values, your word, and the propriety of your actions in every sphere of your life. Your actions build your reputation.
- Your reputation has a direct impact on your professional identity and your level of employability and currentness. Your brand is number one. Take care of your name and your reputation with a passion!
- Choosing not to manage your brand also sends out a message that could be associated with less competitiveness or a low achievement drive.
- Define a personal policy of respect for clients, suppliers, bosses, peers, and, above all, subordinates. This includes not making unwarranted enemies due to arrogance or neglect. Work on your charisma and be generous with your acceptance, approval, and recognition of those around you.
- Without a mind to create unnecessary paranoia, do remember that others are watching: anything can be posted on YouTube or Facebook in a matter of seconds. Monitor your social media presence and map any risks to your reputation. Be consistent with your career plan and what you expect from your life: be careful with what you post or say about yourself.
- Attend events, expand your networks of trust, and develop new friendships –do not isolate yourself, because there is no worse sin than disappearing. Keep your relationships current and remember that it is better to be interested in others than to seem interesting. And do not be elitist about your network, because there are no small contacts.
- At work, make sure you know what is expected of you, exceed expectations, and always record your achievements and results. Add value to your work or organization in order to increase the value of your personal brand. Have a plan for your personal development.
- Do not neglect your physical appearance –looks matter. Take care of your appearance and posture. Dress smartly, even when not working. Ask yourself if you would hire yourself. Be careful about what your face expresses, and with your attitude in general.
- Be socially responsible and cooperate with your community. Today, profiles of people who are also leaders outside of the office, who give back some of what society has given them, are highly valued.
