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Step Up and Stand For Something

Great leaders aren’t afraid to stand for something that matters to them, even if it means being unpopular. They have a strong personal brand based on what they stand for, and built on two things: their expertise (what they know) and their network (who they know). That personal brand drives their decision-making, attracts the best followers, and makes a mark in their world.

In this episode, we’ll look at a six-step process for building your personal brand:

  1. Claim Your Expertise: To establish your authority, put a stake in the ground and stand for something. Even if you’re not sure of your expertise yet, accept whatever feels right now. For some people, this is a lifelong journey, so start the journey anyway.
  2. Build a Network of Connections: Build a strong network, both offline and online, and both internal and external. Start with LinkedIn, Twitter and your industry forums.
  3. Consume High-Quality Material: Instead of feeling overwhelmed by information overload, see it as an opportunity to learn from many sources. The key now is to learn from trusted sources in your network, rather than relying only on mass media or broad Google searches.
  4. Comment with Value: Commenting online is easy, but most people just make shallow comments. Instead, make meaningful comments that add value to the conversation already taking place.
  5. Curate Other People’s Material: Sift through all the material that comes your way, and carefully choose what to share with your network. One of my clients, Kirsten Hodgson, describes it as “doing their reading for them”.
  6. Create Original Material: Finally, you can publish your own ideas, stories, examples, research, and insights.

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