Last week I presented at a leadership forum for nearly a hundred talented and aspirational women leaders. At this venue, I rallied a call to action for women to have their voices heard and valued by creating a "personal brand."
Even if you believe you don't have a brand, you actually do have one. In fact, you may have several brands based on the impressions you leave with others. Unfortunately, these impressions may not be the ones you want people to have of you. Having a brand that defines your best elements and differentiates you from others in a positive way is key to achieving your career goals and aspirations.
In SHAMBAUGH's Women's Leadership division, we coach women leaders worldwide on how to create their brand, leverage it, and take personal accountability for influencing their branding image. We start by having them consider some questions:
- Why are people drawn to you?
- Why do others want to invest in you?
- What do you want people to think and say about you?
- How do you need to "show up" to achieve that impression?
Here are a few tips to get you started on a more conscious approach to brand-building:
- Deepen your self-awareness. Seeing how you currently "define" yourself is an important first step to personal brand creation. This step involves identifying your signature strengths, passions, and values. Knowing and living your values not only helps to shape your brand, but also leads to self-empowerment.
Your brand is critical for gaining respect, creating new opportunities, and positively influencing the conversation people have about you. What will that conversation be, and when will you begin to create that brand for yourself?
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To learn more about how SHAMBAUGH can help you create and share your personal brand or about SHAMBAUGH's targeted women's leadership development programs, executive coaching, and other core services, visit www.shambaughleadership.com
Learn more about Rebecca Shambaugh's 2015 Speaking Initiative - Check out her compelling messages and new topics for Leaders in the 21st Century at: www.rebeccashambaugh.com