Building Your Personal Brand as a Leader – Why it Matters and How to Begin

Of late, the leaders, professionals and individuals I coach have been asking the same question and setting as one of their Goals; “How do I build a personal brand – and one that is authentic”?

There is a lot of noise and clutter out there. In a world where ‘he who shouts the loudest gets heard,” how do you build your own visibility whilst still maintaining credibility and trust?  Being aware of and cultivating your personal brand is now longer a ‘nice to have’ but an essential requirement.  One that can develop into a leadership asset.  

Your personal brand determines how people will experience you. It’s the emotional and professional impression you leave on others.  It may also open up opportunities, build your confidence and reframe and build your personal and professional identity.  It is not about becoming someone else.  Rather, it is about becoming more ‘you’ but with intention.

So why else might building your personal brand matter? It creates clarity for both you and others.  A strong personal brand shows someone who knows their strengths, their purpose and the value they bring.  If you are looking to change your career, launch your own business or step into a leadership position, a personal brand gives you stability and the leverage you need.

There are a number of core pillars to consider in building a compelling a Personal Brand:

1.      Your Identity: Your brand begins with your values, your lived experience, and the journey that shaped you. People connect with humans, not job titles.  Your identity can also be displayed in your tone, language, style, colours, imagery, and the emotional feel of your presence both online and offline.  Decide who and what you want to be and relish and build it.  Ask yourself: What are your core values?  How do you present to the world?  What key moments shaped who you are today? What do you deeply care about? What unique perspective do you bring?

2.      Increased Visibility.  The truth is that the vast majority of people are not paying much attention to you, so you have to strategically cultivate your visibility.  Your acquaintances, colleagues and friends are potentially your buyers, leads or recommenders for new jobs or new opportunities.  Make sure that all your contact points like your Facebook, LinkedIn, Website, Substack etc. are up to date and consistent.  Ask yourself, “Do I have a digital presence and does it reflect who I truly am”?  

3.      Trust and Credibility: Cultivating your brand you must not lose sight of, or abandon your history, roots or your truth.  People can small a ‘phoney’ from a mile away.  People cannot connect with a brand if they are not perceiving it as having value.  Create something valuable and authentic and distribute it through various mediums.  Testimonials, case studies, qualifications, thought leadership, awards - all of these reinforce your message. On LinkedIn, write, share or like and comment on other’s posts but always retain your authenticity and be careful to keep the balance – do not overdo it that it becomes ‘noise’. Cultivate a good balance.  Consistency builds recognition, and recognition builds trust.  In addition, the more value you offer, the greater your trust and credibility will grow.

4.      Career Prospects.  Make sure your Resume and CV are up to date and are uniform with your branding image (look, feel, colour, content etc.). Use the same picture and colour branding as your LinkedIn profile for example.  Get yourself out there by attending networking events, conferences and meetings to meet and shake-hands with others in your field.  This will benefit in building your job prospects through reputation and word-of-mouth referrals. Ask yourself:  What do you want to be known for?  What is your area of expertise and what problems do you solve?

5.      Building Networks:  The importance of having a network cannot be over-emphasised.  Actively work on relationships that are mutually supportive. Be on the lookout for projects, associations, boards, committees etc. that you can get involved in that you can contribute.  These help highlight your value, interests and abilities.  Making a focussed effort will bring dividends in enhancing your visibility, building a support structure, cultivating connections and opening new doors. 

You have a personal brand now – whether you are aware of it or not.  Take a look at it through the above pillars. Building your personal brand is a process built on a uniform image and then on micro-moments; Your posts, conversations, messages, and thoughts you share.  So why not take a moment to take ownership for your narrative.  Take some time to shape it, tweak it, update it but work it. The key is starting and then maintaining long-term effort. Start showing up intentionally.  Building a personal brand will help you step into a more confident, authentic and aligned version of yourself.

Need help with the above? Contact me on tessa@bazubusinesscoach.com