How you can build your brand
This is part two of a two part series on managing your career more effectively by thinking of the expertise and services you provide to your boss as a brand. If you missed the first part, check it out here.
Ok, so you’re convinced that you thinking about yourself as a brand to your boss might be a useful thing to try, but aren’t sure where to begin. Well, you’re in luck. Here are some tips that can get you started in the right direction.
1. Keep your word
Past performance is the greatest predictor of the reliability of your brand in the future. You can get everything else right in managing your brand and in creating your personal style. However, if you aren’t reliable, then your brand will be meaningless, because what people are looking for when they contract for a service is a promise that they aren’t making a mistake.
If you say you’ll have something done next week, do it. If that means you have to work all night and cancel a couple dates, then do that. When at all possible, endure any amount of personal inconvenience to keep your word. Then plan better next time to keep yourself from having to go to such great lengths.
2. Develop a personal style.
If you want someone to recognize you, they have to know what you look like. The same is true of your work. If you want people to recognize your work and associate it with you (as part of your brand), they have to know which traits to identify with you. This means choosing a personal style and sticking with it.
What kinds of things make up a personal style? You can be fairly creative here and pick a few noticeable things that matter to you.
For example, I use a single consistent form of my name on all written communication I create: “John E. West”. My presentations are distinct from those created by many of my peers because I have a presentation style that is close to that used by Steve Jobs and Lawrence Lessig (you can Google other great examples of both). And as a rule I believe that neatness counts, so when I have to complete a report or do a handout for an important meeting, it is well produced and professional looking (sometimes even bound if that’s appropriate).
3. Take the time to prepare and do a good job.
Confidence comes with competence, and competence comes with preparation. There is just no shortcut for hard work.
You cannot build a lasting brand unless your product is of lasting quality, and no amount of work in developing a personal style will make up for the fact that your work isn’t good enough that people care who did it.
4. Curb your tongue.
Office gossip is a nasty form of evil visited upon us by people who don’t have enough to do, often because they are strikingly ineffective, and so no one trusts them with real work.
Gossip might be interesting and fun to spread, but the problem is that gossip is usually about someone, and it is usually unflattering. Remember that we all have failings. Some we recognize, and some we don’t, but it is almost universal that we wouldn’t want to think that everyone else was discussing them behind our backs. It’s not good manners, it’s not a good use of your time, and it doesn’t help advance your career. Pick a reason, any reason…just don’t be a gossip.
5. Curb your temper.
You’re going to get a chance to really bury someone in public. Someone who deserves everything you have to say, and worse besides. Don’t do it.
When you find yourself in a volatile situation and about to unload on someone, walk away. Clear your head, and then come back to the situation when you can remain calm and steer the conversation toward resolving the conflict, not cracking someone under the force of your rage.
You’ll feel better about yourself, anyone who witnesses your control will be inspired by your decision to stay on the high ground, and the target of your ire may even be silently grateful and be supportive of you in the future.
