You Can’t Move Up If You Don’t Stand Out
POSTED BY MANOJ VASUDEVAN · WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH, 2019
The subtitle said: “You Can’t Move Up If You Don’t Stand Out“. It turned out to be a defining article that would herald a new era in personal branding and marketing. Some took the advice and acted on it, others chose to ignore it.
The article I read was titled The Brand Called You by Tom Peters from 1997! It is still relevant for our turbulent times today! A search on Google shows there are tons of books written on this topic, but who has implemented it? Have you?
When it comes to job selections, awards of lucrative contracts, preference for promotions, and public recognition, there is always a – missing link – between efforts and rewards! It is seldom your credentials or accomplishments – it is often how you and your contributions are perceived.
Here are some ideas I gathered over the years from Gurus in the field, that can help you get started with your Personal Branding the right way.
- When someone talks about you during a conversation where you are not present, what do others think, feel, say, do?
- What makes you different?
- What do you stand for?
- What do you represent?
- What’s the pitch for you?
- What’s the real power of you?
- What’s loyalty to you?
- What’s the future of you?
- What values or adjectives do people associate with you?
As Tom Peters concludes in the article,
“It’s this simple: You are a brand. You are in charge of your brand. There is no single path to success. And there is no one right way to create the brand called You. Except this: Start today. Or else.” ~ Tom Peters
How important is the brand called YOU?
- I find personal branding so important that we assist (and *insist* that) executives to define their personal brands, learn to pitch them and promote them. Learn more at Executive Transformation Program or Leadership Readiness Program or C-Level Readiness Program.
- If major brands spend time, effort and money on building, pitching and promoting themselves, you can borrow the lessons and apply them to your personal brand-building efforts. It’s no longer nice. It has become necessary to stand out and stay relevant!
- In turbulent times, your focus should not be to stay employed but to stay employable. One of the best ways to stay employable is to stay ready to get to the next level role. i.e. Your Boss’s Job OR A Better Job! This aim gives you the mind stretch that nudges you to grow, stand out and flourish. Scott Adams says, Your job is not your job; your job is to find a better job.
“Your job is not your job; your job is to find a better job” ~Scott Adams
Call To Action: To get to the next level in your career, business, and life – identify your skills gaps, behavior gaps, perception gaps and fix your blind spots with a sense of urgency because
You are the Chief Marketing Officer of your personal brand. It’s time to get serious about your role!
Get Coached To Build Your Personal Brand
Share this post with your friends and colleagues. Here is some food for thought and a little nudge for taking action!
Manoj Vasudevan is an internationally renowned Next Level Leadership Readiness expert, management consultant, and the World Champion of Public Speaking. He helps executives and entrepreneurs to break through to the Next Level in career, business, and life. Manoj is known for his expertise in simplifying complex topics into practical strategies. He is the CEO of Thought Expressions and holds an MBA from Imperial College, London. His books include the international bestseller Mastering Leadership The Mousetrap Way. and How to become the World Champion of Public Speaking. He speaks at international conferences, multinational companies, universities, and around the world. As a coach, Manoj has proven track-record in personal transformation and breakthroughs. CEOs, Senior Executives, UN Diplomats, Celebrities & Professionals from 32 nationalities have benefited from Manoj’s coaching. To contact the author’s team, click here.
