“There are two kinds of people: those who come into a room with the attitude, ‘Here I am!’ and those who have the attitude, ‘There you are!’” Abigail Van Buren, the writer of Dear Abby once stated.
Having a personal impact could mean that you influence, lead, or leave a lasting impression. Have you decided where you want to go and precisely what impression you wish to create?
Companies brand themselves to create an image, a recognisable spark that encourages their target audience to remember them and conduct business with them. We create a personal brand for the same reason; to build an image that leads people to think of us positively, usually as a trusted advisor.
What a personal brand is not
A personal brand does not mean that you dress in the same uniform every day (although you might dress in a consistent way), or that you are an eccentric individual (although you may be). It does not mean introverts, must become gregarious, nor does it require extroverts to mask their feelings or thoughts.
In reality, the brand is the consumer’s perception and nothing more. Similarly, your personal brand is people’s perception of you. What is it you do that makes your work and you stand out in people’s minds? That Stand-out factor, whatever it is, becomes integrated into your brand.
We need to take a good look at ourselves to consider how we convey ourselves to the broader world around us. Reflection also provides us with some opportunities with which to work.
Time to reflect
Have you thought about the impact you are having when you connect with people?
When you work with people, what would you say they believe to be true about you? When you come to them looking for a favour, or whatever else it is that you need their buy-in? More importantly, what impact do you have when they come to you looking for help?
Many people will have pretty high expectations about what your brand provides them. Your approach and style will be the first place people stop to form their perception of you. Your communication style, how you handle setbacks and challenges and how you get results all go into making up your personal brand.
The pragmatic style
Strengths include getting to the heart of the matter quickly, being direct, and presenting a position strongly. Challenges involve listening, demonstrating patience, a tendency to argue, and not taking the advice of others who have more experience or expertise to offer.
The enthusiastic style
Their workspaces are often cluttered, and they are comfortable with close physical proximity. Challenges can include listening and paying attention to details, a tendency to generalise frequently and to exaggerate or be overly dramatic.
The accommodating style
Their workspace will contain family pictures and sentimental items. Their challenges can include handling conflict when it does arise, keeping opinions to themselves, and dealing with data and figures.
The detailed style
They will avoid touching (shaking hands and particularly hugging) if possible, and maintain a solid sense of personal space. If things are hanging in their office, they will be related to charts and graphs. Their desktop will be tidy and well-organised. Challenges can include being too focused on details and losing sight of the bigger picture, and not paying attention to people’s feelings.
Sometimes our approach needs to be adjusted to present our brand in a way that resonates with other people.
If you would like to find out more about your style or ways to improve your personal brand, stay tuned for future posts or reach out on LinkedIn
