“Irony.” The dictionary defines it as “incongruity between what is expected and what actually is”. Alanis Morissette describes it as “a black fly in your Chardonnay” – which ironically, has nothing to do with irony. In any event, I want to discuss perceptions around the phrase “personal branding”, and why I find the positions of a select few critics to be so surprising – and ironic.
In the last decade-plus, the term personal branding has grown faster than the weeds in your backyard. Originated by Tom Peters and popularized by Dan Schawbel, awareness of the phrase has gone from nonexistent to commonplace. I’ll define it here loosely as “the outward expression of whatever the heck makes you unique.” (OK, very loosely.) Mix in the drive to constantly improve, and the desire to help and connect with others, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a personal brand.
Sounds simple enough, right? Well, it isn’t. Many folks out there aren’t jumping on the personal branding train, and interestingly, most of them happen to be damn smart individuals. In specific…
- Amber Naslund told me she doesn’t much care for personal branding.
- Mitch Joel theorizes that personal branding has lost its way.
- Laurie Ruettimann suggests personal brands can be a “cat-astrophe”.
- Jeremiah Owyang much prefers career branding over personal branding.
- Andrew Swenson says it is tough to trust personal branding experts.
- Matt Cheuvront thinks we’re a little too young to worry about our personal PR.
- Carlos Miceli says to hell with personal branding.
Aside from their general questioning of the practice, there is one consistent trait that each and every one of these individuals shares:
They all have powerful and well-defined personal brands!!!
Pop in your Alanis Morrissette cassette tape, we’ve stumbled upon a heap of irony! How can it be that those who best embody what personal branding is all about are the very ones who dismiss the practice?
The answer lies within the reasons each has for doubting the merits of personal branding. Some fear the lack of authenticity. Some predict selfishness. Others foresee a world of cookie-cutter people marching to the beat of the same drummer.
Yet, somehow, someway, each has managed to build their own personal brand without succumbing to any of these frightening side effects. And therein lies the ultimate point of difference: They all worked tirelessly and arrived at where they are today naturally, not by following rules or slapping a fancy title like “personal branding” on their efforts.
“Why can’t you do the same?” they wonder.
The answer is that we all aren’t superstars by nature. Some of us need a gentle push, a few tips and tricks, a little guidance on our paths. The stuff inside that makes folks different and unique has a tough time making it to the surface for some. The process to aid that struggle is known as personal branding, and that phrase freaks people out – especially those who have mastered the skills organically.
But, the fact of the matter is this – whether you are trying to land a job interview, raise funds for charity, seek a book deal, or perform almost any people-based activity, having a strong personal brand helps immensely. And in the Web 2.0, social-powered world of today, it matters more than ever before.
So, allow me to offer a middle ground, a place where we can all live in harmony. If the term “personal branding” creeps you out, throw it in the mental garbage can and never use it again. Let’s just agree that typical “brand-building” actions are damn powerful if done the right way. Like…
Reading.
Learning.
Writing.
Connecting.
Helping.
Thinking.
Improving.
I call these tasks “personal branding”. You don’t have to. Let’s just agree that by taking these actions, people can further their careers, open new doors, and add value to their communities. That is OK in my book, no matter what you want to call it.
Photo credit, Jon Ovington.
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