Personal Branding or cult of personality?

Developing your personal brand is important for your career growth and progress as a leader. Whether you are looking for a job, a student, a business owner, or a startup leader, personal branding helps you manage your career in the long term.

Positioning yourself as a thought leader or even an influencer can seem a bit boastful at first, but it only feels that way if you look at it simply. Let’s explain it in another way.

A thought leader is recognized for their knowledge in a specific field. They use their deep understanding and experience to teach and motivate others through content where they share their views.

This can be a person or a business that has progressed in its area to the point of becoming a key example, thanks to content online, offline, media appearances, speeches, books, etc. They are admired by their colleagues and community and can guide or steer their industry in new directions.

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If that doesn’t seem appealing to you, think about the business advantages that come with such a role. Due to their influence, visibility, and the respect they earn, the thought leader holds a strong position and gains an edge over their rivals.

Personal branding, a victim of its success

Unfortunately, personal branding has become a “trivialized” term that has lost its meaning with the advent of social networks and reality shows.

Maybe you’re scratching your head looking for the connection between reality TV and personal branding deviance? We have simply led people to believe that we can succeed without offering value, without talent, and without effort.

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Some people use social media irresponsibly to build their personal brand and increase their relevance. They are convinced that social media will immediately increase the market value of their personal brand instead of recognizing that this development process comes with a much greater responsibility; a never-ending journey that extends far beyond social media.

Having beautiful photos on Instagram is not enough to become an influencer. Being present on Twitter is not enough to immediately start a successful career. Social media is just a tool. It is the intelligence with which you share your journey and your values ​​that will make the difference. It’s the consistency between the person you really are and the image you project that will make the difference.

Personal Branding = what you are in service to others

For this reason, I always advise those who want to be present on social networks in a personal branding process to think carefully about their intentions and objectives before opening an account.

For that? Because the moment you start, you can’t stop. Take the time to think about your intentions and what you are able to offer your community, both in the workplace and on a more personal level.

It starts with really knowing yourself. The professional image you build must correspond to your real values. What makes you unique? What are your strengths and values ​​that distinguish you from professionals in your sector? Is your background unusual, and if so, how does that influence the kind of person you are today?

Your personal brand should represent the value you are able to consistently bring to those you serve. Note the word «constant«! Personal branding is not the feat you are able to produce once every six months. One day I cycled 100 kilometers, but that doesn’t make me a professional cyclist. It was a coup and your personal brand is not based on that.

The “Miscellaneous” or “Hobbies” section of a CV often reflects this distance between being and fantasizing. Who has never put «reading» when the last book read was the last «Here you are» in the dentist’s waiting room? Likewise, “running” is not about running after your bus every morning…

Personal branding ≠ Self-worship

Personal branding is not self-promotion. Point.

It’s not just about increasing your brand awareness by showcasing your achievements and greatest successes. Our generation has distorted our relationship with ourselves. In the past, people photographed what their eyes saw, what caught their attention. Today we turn the lens on ourselves. We are the actors in our simulacrum of a perfect life.

Effectively managing your personal brand involves being a great role model, mentor, and/or voice that others can rely on. Do you want to become a thought leader or influencer (or any other trendy term)? Be real!

For example, when I write a blog post, I am extremely aware that my community of readers expects from me a specific “type of thinking”, quality resources and a certain homogeneity of content. No flash. Concrete and regular.

My blog aims to attract new readers by providing them with quality content that I hope will engage them enough to continue reading what I write and possibly work with me.

Rather than turning the lens on yourself, I recommend opening it on others. Once you know your values, your strengths and your professional and personal qualities, try to develop what you are able to offer to others. What are the needs of your community? How can you serve them? What values ​​are you able to bring to them?

This is the mindset you need to develop when you decide to define, live and manage your personal brand.

When I say live your personal brand, that’s not a detail of this article. Every day you must live up to the expectations you set for yourself and those you serve.

You need to embody your personal brand. And this is only possible if it is based on who you really are. Don’t try to appear bigger or more important. Your personal branding is not a role you play in the spotlight of social media or your blog.

If so, sooner or later you will fail. You cannot embody a different personality without one day returning to your true nature. The personal branding process is also a good way to identify your weaknesses and work to resolve them.

Think of your personal brand as a business brand; an asset that you must protect by continuing to shape it.

Have you defined your personal brand? Do you live your personal branding consistently every day?

Nearly a billion names are typed into Google every day. Chances are, someone has typed yours at some point. What do we find then? Do you control all the results that appear and help shape your professional and personal image?

If you’re like most people, your answer is «no.» How many professionals actually manage their brand image? Very little, because it is a major challenge, which requires an enormous dose of self-awareness, action and responsibility. However, the returns on your career are definitely worth