Image courtesy of Flickr/Joel Kramer
1. Make sure personal brand is understood in terms of identity, image and reputation.
If personal brand becomes difficult to explain, spend time answering questions such as “Who am I?” “How do others see me?” “What am I known for and what do I stand for?” “What’s my unique value proposition to the organization?”
2. Take lessons from marketing.
Leverage the expertise within the marketing and communications functions. These professionals play a role in defining the organization’s brand and can help apply the same principles for employees. They are also a useful vetting resource to ensure employees are able to link their brands with the business.
3. Secure buy-in from senior leaders.
If senior leaders don’t see value in employee engagement, it can be an uphill climb. Have a sound business case in hand on how more engaged staff members make the organization more innovative, productive, changeresilient and profitable.
4. Start small and then build.
A good first step might be to bring someone in to talk about personal branding with employee resource groups. Gauge the interest to the topic. If the reaction is positive and interest is high, begin to think about how to go about increasing knowledge and skill in brand building using internal and external development resources.
5. Change terms.
If personal branding is language that doesn’t resonate with an organization’s culture, drop it. Use reputation instead. It may be easier for people to grasp and connect the dots between activities that foster a positive image. A great reputation is synonymous with a great personal brand.
