Did you ever stop and think how the opinions of people around you impact your self-image?
While I hope that you’re not self conscious about such things, I do ask how the opinions of your friends or family influence the perception you have of yourself? How do your co-workers or bosses perceptions affect your belief in you?
Often I’ve wondered how much the opinions of our peers impact us, and do we benefit from their views or are they detrimental to our self image? Constructive feedback from individuals is an important tool for each of us to use in continuing to improve ourselves. However, too much information from too small a group can be counter-productive to self improvement.
As an example, I used to detest other people’s criticisms. I still don’t like it, but have learned to listen for the lessons that help me grow as an individual. Sometimes they’re hard to find, occasionally layered under unintentional (even some intentional!) barbs or slights.
There are truths to everything, but learning to find what is valuable and what isn’t can be something of an art form. So how about you? Have you turned personal critiques into tools for improvement? What things have you learned that you would add to make people’s opinions more valuable to you?
Has your career reached a plateau, but you believe you have more to offer?
Have you gotten into a repetitive cycle in your career that you think it’s impossible to break out of?
Are you just starting out in the workforce and are uncertain how to present yourself?
Would you like to start down a path to help change all that?
Up until now you may only have thought about your reputation. Taking pride in the work you’ve done, and the ideals you follow. These are important things and core components to help you build your personal brand.
What is Personal Brand?
So you’ve heard about this "personal branding" thing while reading news and the blogs you follow. Obviously, it’s an important component to gen X or Y crowd, but how does it affect you? As much as you want it to! You are a brand, not unlike your favorite soft drink, automobile manufacturer, or candy bar. You have the same potential to create interest and buzz around yourself and what you can do.
Reputation 2.0
I like to call personal branding "reputation 2.0". We all know what our reputation is. Why not bring some social media aspects to the table and formulate a strategy? Personal branding is about reaching out to the community or industry that you are a part of. Interacting with it, and making sure that people know where and how to reach you. This simply leverages your current abilities and makes you more visible to others in your field.
Not an Ego Trip
Personal branding is not about building a "look at me" page. Rather, it is about creating a brand that is recognized for what you are. To leverage your strengths, whether that is technical, people-oriented, or whatever. Building your brand is meant to bring you further into your industry as an authority or expert in an area. It’s meant to help you reach the next level, and grow in your life, not just your career.
2nd Job
One thing to understand, as well, is the amount of work involved in creating your brand is the time commitment. You need to become your own marketer, writer, idea person, and coach. It requires that you reach out to your community and add value. Help people, talk about things that are important or relevant in your industry, come up with innovative ideas. Become a person that people look forward to interacting with. Be the go-to person that makes things happen.
Rewards
There are numerous rewards for this, from additional opportunities in your career, to a new discovery of yourself. Building your personal brand also allows you to dig into your psyche and rediscover lost ideas and dreams that you may have set aside years ago. Your brand is about more than your career, it’s about becoming the best you that you can be.
There is a growing number resources online to help you find ways to build your brand. Many of them are tried and true methods that you can get started on without spending much (if anything). Also, I invite you to contact me directly if you have questions, I’d love to help answer whatever I can on the topic. My email is found in the sidebar under "Contact Me", or leave a comment below!
Every now and again, one finds themselves in that “down” portion of the work cycle. That’s where I’ve been for the last few weeks, and it’s hard to move past that into the effective, productive mode that one needs day to day.
Today, I got to have lunch with a business contact, we worked together for a few years awhile go and always got along. He definitely helped identify some ideas and methods to move past where I’m at – it’s much appreciated.
While I want to thank him, I also just wanted to point out to everyone how easy it is to forget to ask for second opinions. Get another point of view and take the feedback straight up and find the lessons and value in it.
Because of a great lunch, I’ve got a fresh perspective that I didn’t have before. Will it help? Sure – whatever doesn’t hold you back will move you forward. What resources do you turn to for inspiration? Do you solicit external input or keep it to yourself?
While this was a follow-up for a question Jeff had on Wednesday, it really started me thinking…
First the question:
If you’re NOT an entrepreneur, if YOU work for a corporation and have spent your career as an employee, why have YOU made that choice?
I suspect that many people either are unaware of their true capabilities, or are comforted by the “feeling of security” a corporation can offer.
Personally, I have chosen to take the other path – for good or bad. It’s hard to work without a net, but at the same time I CAN SEE the opportunities that did not seem obvious before.
So, I can’t answer Jeff’s question – I simply want to follow the more interesting drummer.
I’ve often wondered why it’s so hard for people (especially tech geeks) to get themselves a site on the web. For many it comes down to time as much as anything, but for several, it’s also about anonymity.
I guess that I shouldn’t be surprised by this, it’s human nature not to expose too much information or place yourself in a position to be noticed. While we all may feel that way to a certain degree, I’ve often wondered why tech people are sometimes the worst at this.
Maybe it’s because they understand the technologies and capabilities inherent in the Internet. Maybe they are scared off by the possibility that there is someone out there smarter than they are, and that they may not be able to adapt quickly enough.
Whatever the reason is, it bothers me that several talented people don’t leverage their skills and promote their brand. There are so many possible things to promote yourself that it’s silly not to. Create a web site for yourself and have information about you, or start a blog about something you’re interested in.
Promoting your personal brand is not hard, and it’s not dangerous. It does require a different mindset than what people are normally used to. When you set out to start promoting your brand, you should be as transparent as possible and only hold back a few pieces of information.
Here are some tips that I strongly recommend for those sitting on the fence wondering if it’s worth the “risk”.
Get a site on the Internet for people to find you. Whether that’s a blog, a static web page or simply a LinkedIn profile. Have someplace where people can find you.
If you choose to do a web site, I’d encourage you to go for a blog. You’ll have someplace to do more than just a simple page. And with services like Blogger or WordPress.com, you can do it fast and for free.
If you’re really serious about your brand – get yourself a domain name and host your own sites at a hosting service. It’s a lot simpler than you think and can cost under $5 a month.
Participate. Get involved in discussions about things that you’re interested in. Get known around the communities that you have a passion for, things that really are fun for you.
Make sure to have a page for your biography. Blogs all have a provision for an “About” page. Use it!
Your resume must be on your site – no doubt about it. I always create a subversion (yes I version all my personal documentation) of my resume sans address, just for on the website. Also, I recommend making a PDF copy for placement on you web – that way nobody can change it easily when downloaded.
Create an email address (GMail?) just to put on your website. Make it easy for people to contact you.
Seriously think about putting your phone number on the website. Especially if you are actively involved in social media. (I know some bloggers even make it a challenge to people to call them!)
Yes there is the chance of identity theft out on the Internet, but their really after money. Do you store money on your website? Didn’t think so. Hell, if people want to be me, they can come and do my work for me as well!
The reality, of course, is that most all the information that someone needs to steal your identity can be found in pay-for databases from a number of firms around the world. The little bit you expose on the Internet just being yourself is negligible in comparison.
@MAC_Arms Pay taxes when you make your money, pay taxes when you spend your money, pay taxes when you successfully invest your money, pay taxes when you save enough taxed money to afford a house, pay taxes to live in your house, pay taxes when you sell the house that you paid taxes on to
Yup, taxes are criminal and we need serious reforms. I've always said that if you want to see a tax revolt, make withholdings illegal and have Americans write a tax check every payday. They'll revolt for sure. You don't miss what you never had.
Sen. @berniemoreno says voter ID and proof of citizenship are simply common sense.
“We’re talking about a very low threshold — identify who you are and prove you’re a U.S. citizen when you register to vote. I think we’re getting closer to
Did you ever stop and think how the opinions of people around you impact your self-image?
