BRAND NEW YOU

Facebook, Google and Apple all do it, so what about you? DR TANVI GAUTAM talks about cultivating a strong personal brand.

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Facebook, Google and Apple all do it, so what about you? DR TANVI GAUTAM talks about cultivating a strong personal brand.

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Sheryl Sandberg, charismatic COO of Facebook, made the news in June for her penchant for wearing stilettos, usually in a fiery shade of red.

The big question then was why she was conforming to stereotypes of female power dressing to make her mark, particularly when her CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been doing fine in T-shirts and jeans.

I saw it differently. Through the way she presents herself (in those heels), Sheryl stands out from the tech world’s sartorial norm of hoodie and jeans.

A personal brand involves how people think and feel about you, and categorise you in their minds. Are you seen as a strategist? A thought-leader in your field?

Several things contribute to your brand. First, it rests on your hard-earned reputation, created through interactions with clients and colleagues, and the results you have delivered. It can also be influenced by how you dress, speak and present yourself.

Well-branded professionals stand out from the crowd and clearly signal what they – and only they – bring to the table, thus attracting more opportunities.

Despite the importance of personal branding, plenty of misconceptions surround it. One of them is the idea that your work “should speak for itself”. If so, big companies would have no marketing departments. Yet, even Apple is careful about where it advertises its products, to create the “right” image.

MYTH #1: PERSONAL BRANDING IS PERSONAL BRAGGING

Some people think personal branding simply involves talking themselves up. That’s untrue. A personal brand is about creating a presence in the minds of others, so they see you as a responsible and value-adding professional.

You don’t have to achieve this by bragging. You can get the same effect by making connections, posting industry-related articles on social media, or by supporting your colleagues in their projects.

Sure, you can talk about yourself too. In fact, at the Women and Leadership programme at SMU which I created, we encourage aspiring women leaders to speak up and be more visible. What is important is not what you say but how you say it.

An accomplishment, shared with humility, is more easily accepted by others than one boasted about. For instance, the next time you give a presentation, don’t just mention what you have accomplished. Talk about how you can use what you’ve learnt to benefit your audience.

It doesn’t hurt to have a friend champion your great work. Research shows that another person speaking well of you has the same impact as you speaking well of yourself, particularly if that other person has a strong personal brand herself. And you can always return the favour.

MYTH #2: IT’S NOT AN ELEVATOR PITCH

While the 30-second elevator pitch is part of personal branding, the complete package covers how you dress, speak, and make people feel. Begin with your attitude towards others. Are you the sunshine that uplifts everyone, or are you the limelight stealer? The one who spots a cloud in every silver lining? Check your attitude as that is what determines your altitude.

MYTH #3: IT’S ABOUT PUTTING ON A FRONT

Personal branding is not about becoming someone you are not. Many women believe they should copy a role model or create a persona to impress. On the contrary, personal branding is about creating and shining the spotlight on your authentic self. You are uniquely you – and that itself is a competitive advantage. Create a clear value proposition and you won’t have to pretend to be anyone else.

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It doesn’t hurt to have a friend champion the great work you did. Research shows that another person speaking well of you has the same impact as you speaking well of yourself.
How to Create a Good Brand

Craft your brand from day one. Constantly take stock of your values, skills and life experiences. What adds richness and uniqueness to your perspective? Is it the travelling you’ve done? An artistic skill you have? Increasingly, employers are looking for people who possess skills beyond technical ones that can be easily acquired, and who can bring them to bear on the task at hand.

I know an aspiring leader who showed her boss how her volunteer experience in launching community projects could come in handy for a campaign to engage customers oneto- one. None of her other colleagues had done such projects on that scale, so she was invited to be a part of the core team.

Next, think about the keywords you want associated with your brand, such as “game changer” or “future CEO”. Map out the skills and exposure you need to get where you want. Finally, be ready to say no to opportunities which aren’t right for you. One client I had ruined her personal brand by constantly volunteering for non-strategic roles at an annual conference. While it is good to be seen as a team player, know where to draw the line.

You’ve Made It When...

• Your name comes up for key opportunities without you having to push for them.
• Colleagues seek your opinion on important matters.
• Colleagues want you involved in their pet projects.
• Clients start asking for you by name – that’s the strongest form of career insurance possible!

FREE SCHOLARSHIPS! SMU

Executive Development is giving away two scholarships, worth $5,000 each, for its Women and Leadership programme. Designed for women executives hoping to reach the top, it will run from Sept 21-23, 2016, at SMU. For more information, visit http://exd.smu.edu.sg/openenrollment-programmes/womenand-leadership-programme.

To apply for the scholarship, applicants must:
• Be PMEBs (professionals, managers, executives and businesswomen) with at least five years’ working experience.
• Be between 28 and 45 years old.
• Be in a middle- to mid-uppermanagement position, supervising a team of at least five people.
• Submit a 500-word testimonial from their supervisor in support of their application.
• Submit written responses of less than 300 words each, to the following:

(i) Describe your work (ii) Describe your biggest work achievements thus far (iii) Discuss the challenges you face in your job/industry in these three areas: leading the self, leading others, and achieving work-life balance (iv) How do you think women can lead more effectively at the workplace? (v) What do you hope to get out of joining the leadership programme?

E-mail your application to magherworld _ promo@sph.com.sg. For more information about the programme, e-mail winstonliew@smu.edu.sg.

Dr Tanvi Gautam is the programme director of diversity & inclusion at Singapore Management University (SMU). She is also the founder of Leadershift Inc. This is the second in a three-part series of career articles she is writing for Her World.