Is your Personal Brand by Design or Default?
This month’s Newsletter was inspired by recent training I (Rebekah James) conducted at two Hong Kong Universities. The workshops at Lignan and at HKPolyU were "Persuasive Presenting." During these workshops we equip students with speaking up and presenting authentically.
Is your Personal Brand by Design or Default?
As a Connect consultant I always have a video camera at the ready to film clients. Critiquing oneself is the best possible learning and as a freelance broadcaster I always continue to film myself or listen back to interviews.
However, I found it interesting that one cohort didn't wish to be filmed whilst the others were chomping at the bit! Here we are, in a world of selfies, instant reels where lives are captured and curated perfectly, yet a certain cohort chose not to be filmed. It led me to think further about personal branding. Is it by design or by default?!
Ultimately, we all have a personal brand
Whether we shape it deliberately or it emerges by default. It reflects how others perceive us, our presence, our voice, and our values.
Some treat personal branding as a strategic exercise. Their bios are constantly being 'polished,' their Linkedin posts are frequent and always showcasing how dazzling they are. Their social media coverage is always immaculately curated.
On the other hand, others abhor this idea thinking that authenticity should come first. However, even silence has a voice and brands you ... indifference shapes who you are.
Default branding is what happens when you don't actively manage your professional identity.
It's the impression people form based on your tone in emails, your Linked profile, (or lack of) your presence in meetings and even your silence in conversations.
In today's hyper -connected world, your personal brand isn't optional - it's inevitable where you like or not. Whether you're a student or a CEO; everyone has one. The question is ... will you design yours or leave it to chance and let it form by default?
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Until next month!
Warmest regards,
The Connect Family
