Successful people create positive personal impact. It is one of the career success competencies that is part of my Career Success GPS System. You create positive personal impact by developing and nurturing your personal brand, dressing for success and knowing and following the basic rules of etiquette.
As a career success coach, I believe that a strong personal brand is the starting place for creating positive personal impact. Do you have a personal brand? How did you develop it? What do you do to nurture it?
Personal branding is simple in concept. Figure out how you want to be known. What two or three words do you want people to associate with you? Once you determine how you want to be known, consistently and constantly do the things that will get people to think of you that way.
Visibility enhances your personal brand. Volunteer for projects inside your company, church and community. Write a column or opinion piece for your company magazine or an industry publication. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper.
That’s the essence of personal branding – knowing how you want to be perceived; consistent and constant action, and visibility. However, all strong personal brands are built on integrity. Tweet 62 in my new book Success Tweets: 140 Bits of Common Sense Career Success Advice All in 140 Characters or Less, says…
Your personal brand should be unique to you, but built on integrity. Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Here are my best career success coach tips on how to become known as a person of high integrity.
People with integrity succeed. Be true to yourself. Your reputation is all you’ve got. Know your values and stick to them. If you haven’t already articulated your personal values, take a few minutes, think about them and write them down. Review them every week to make sure you’re staying true to yourself.
Be direct and truthful. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing so astonishes men as common sense and plain dealing.” Astonish the people around you with common sense and straightforward communication.
Admit your mistakes. We all make mistakes. Own up to yours. You’ll gain a reputation as a straight shooter who as honest with himself or herself as he or she is with others.
Become widely trusted. Deliver on what you say you’ll do. If you can’t meet a commitment, let the other person know as soon as you can. Agree on another deadline – and meet it. Keep confidences. Avoid gossip. Never embarrass your friends and coworkers by repeating what they share with you – even if it isn’t in confidence.
The common sense point here is simple. If you want to succeed in your life and career, do everything you can to promote and nurture your personal brand at all times. Remember this important career success coach point; everything you do – and everything you choose to not do – communicates your brand. Dress, handle phone calls, e mails and face to face conversations in a manner that enhances your personal brand. If you do this, you’ll stand out from the crowd and be well on your way to creating positive personal impact.
That’s my take on nurturing your personal brand. What’s yours? Thanks for reading. As always, I encourage and value your comments. Please take the time to share your thoughts and ask your questions on personal branding.
Bud
