Does a Personal Brand Matter?

Most people don’t wake up in the morning determined to make the worst of their day. I am convinced the majority do not start out the morning by plotting how many ways to mess up. Most people want to do well and enjoy life. Most people want to succeed. How that is done could be debated at length but the bottom line is … most of us want to do well.

But, it is the rare person who will consistently do well by accident. And even if such an amazing accident happens, there is case after case of how this does not last. A person with a natural talent who does not better the talent will fall far short of potential success. (Remember Mom and Dad reminding you to practice? This principle still applies in adulthood.) Someone who can easily start a good thing will not follow through because of stunted personal growth. This is why building a personal brand matters.

For example, if someone cannot manage personal finances before winning the lottery, it is a safe bet that same person will do no better after hitting the jackpot. In this case, having bundles of money does not improve the ability to manage the money. Hopefully, it is easy to see in this case how one incredible event does not change the existing package (the undeveloped financial skill). (By the way … I do not advocate spending your money on the lottery.)

Here’s another example. In today’s very competitive job market, it takes more than the usual abilities to stand out and be hired, retained, or promoted. There are a bunch of folks out there who have the basic skills for your job. They can type, file, follow policy, say “thank you,” answer the phone and all the other typical things a company might want. But do they stand out? Do YOU stand out? Not to be ego-driven but what is your competitive advantage over the other people you meet? What is your unique value-added? How well do you get along with others? If you don’t know your unique contribution or don’t think you have anything special to offer, please, PLEASE think again! Look deep inside with the most objective thoughts you can muster. The good stuff is there … you just have to discover it! This is all part of building a signature brand.

Building a signature brand of excellence has very tangible, measurable, concrete results. Whether it’s getting a better job in a tough market or gaining a promotion or developing a new, innovative program so your organization does better financially, the results always follow the person who will intentionally and carefully build a consistent personal brand that generates trust.

There is a lot of good in the saying, “Live life on purpose.” There is something very satisfying about being intentional even if it gives mixed results at first. The good consequences will happen over time. Just remember to measure the results against the medium-to-long term as well as the immediate.

So really the question should NOT be, “Does a personal brand matter?” but rather, “Do I want to be excellent”? If the answer is “YES” then building a personal brand is a no-brainer!

Mike Friesen is a leadership and personal development coach with Leading Strategies, www.LeadingStrategies.net. Mike is a retired military officer, fighter pilot, former CFO, and holds a M.B.A. He is also the author of "Expected End: What Culture Is, Why It Matters, and How to Improve It." Mike offers 3 FREE gifts for personal development at www.LSdevelop.com and you are welcome to follow Leading Strategies on Twitter at @LSTeams.

Copyright 2010 Michael A. Friesen. All rights reserved.