“Who has a personal brand?” – a question I posed to a darkened room of one hundred professionals at a conference in Shoreditch recently. I had the honour of talking to them on building credibility in the workplace.

Three hands from an audience of one hundred rose uncertainly. Had the question been “Who would like to have a personal brand?” the answer might have been very different.

Complete transparency: whether we want one or not, we all have one. Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon, was quoted as saying “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

Knowing that, we can choose to take responsibility for our own personal branding, or leave it in the lap of the gods. Current executive or future leader, entrepreneur or celebrity  – the stakes matter. What do you want to be known for?

Think back to a time when you have been part of a really successful meeting. You walked out of the room knowing that you had made a difference. You rocked! What might people have said about you when you left the room? What is your stretch? What else would you like them to say about you? What would be value-added and have you stand out from the crowd? Building your self-knowledge, clarity on your purpose and values and reaching out to others (360 or informal feedback mechanics) can all help you pinpoint your personal brand and the area/s you want to grow it into. A coach can help you achieve all of the above.

Once you are clear on what it is you want to communicate, the next stage is how.

Sylvia-Ann Hewitt conducted a wide-ranging study on ‘Executive Presence’ amongst business men and women in the States. Her conclusions were that presence was most impacted by:

Gravitas is inextricably linked with confidence. For me, the more I am an expert in something, the more confident I feel. I therefore invest time in reading, learning, keeping up with the latest trends and sharing that knowledge with others. The other very important part about gravitas is the story you tell yourself inside – your inner soundtrack. If you tell yourself you are a CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVER for example, or a PEOPLE CHAMPION, you will emanate that confidence to others.

Communication. How do you communicate your brand? Talk about it. Let’s take creativity for example. Imagine you are in a problem-solving discussion. You might say “How could we be creative about this?” Or “One creative solution might be…………….” Communication is both what you say and how you say it. The rhythm of your speech, the tone of your voice. Is your tone predominantly friendly or challenging? How do you answer questions – do you welcome or complain, encourage or attack? This is your mood music and a critical part of your personal brand.

Appearance: Gavin Patterson, former CEO of BT and former work colleague was known for his ‘flamboyant appearance of romantic hair and open shirt collars’.* Ian Livingston, the previous chief executive, said of him “…one button undone was fine, two was a bit racy and three was Gavin.” His style differentiated him as a FTSE 100 CEO, underpinning his stylish & refreshing marketing approach to the conservative corporate culture of BT. The Hawaiian shirts at family BBQs are a different story (sorry Gav!) What visual cues can you give to reinforce your brand? What story does your desk tell? The pile of papers that you take into a meeting? Your website, social media feeds and screen saver?

Our personal brands are all active, broadcasting to others. Is it time to take charge and pro-actively shape yours?

How’s that Hawaiian shirt Gavin?

Caroline Diamond

Executive & Leadership Coach with a passion for personal branding.

* source: Wikipedia