GenXmanager: Leadership for the Generation X Manager

My definition of a personal brand is very simple. Your personal brand tells the world about you. Your brand tells the world what you stand for, what your values are, what your expertise is, and ultimately why the world should even care.

A personal brand combines elements of marketing, career planning, and personal development.

The Marketing Angle

What is a brand? According to Kotler and Keller a brand is “a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.” The key word here is ‘differentiate’.

The Career Planning Angle

Career planning “is a lifelong process, which includes choosing an occupation, getting a job, growing in our job, possibly changing careers, and eventually retiring” (from About.com). I think career planning is much more. Career planning involves matching your strengths and passions to what you will do for a living throughout your life. The key words are ‘strengths’ and ‘passions’.

The Personal Development Angle

Personal development encompasses many disciplines but here I’m relating it to personal values and understanding your purpose in life. Your values drive your behaviors. Your values define who you are and what you stand for. Your purpose in life is your overarching reason for living on this earth. The key words are values and purpose.

So, your personal brand comes down to differentiation, strengths, passions, values, and purpose. Branding yourself is the package you present to the world and methods you use to communicate that package. There is much more to say on this topic, of course, but this is a very simple definition (my definition) of a personal brand.

Let me ask you a basic question. Are you valuable to your employer? I’m not talking about “doing your job” or filling a space at your desk. I’m talking about going above and beyond. Do you ask questions no one else asks? Do you do more than is expected? Are you engaged in your work? Are you an inspiration to your co-workers? Are you creative and implement creative, cost saving solutions? You should always be valuable but it likely more important in today’s down economy than ever before. 

To succeed, you need to do what others won’t. Success is not accidental. Think about any successful person you admire. I bet that person added value in all they did. Sure, they made mistakes, but overall, they added value to their employer, their bosses, and their customers.

Here are few easy steps to add value each day. However, before you go “above and beyond”, you need to make certain you are doing what you are supposed to be doing incredibly well.

1. Download The Add Value Worksheet
2. Dig out your job description. Sure, you haven’t looked at it since you were hired, but get it out and note all of your responsibilities. Write them in the Add Value Worksheet.
3. Next, take some time to think of everything else you are expected to do but is not defined in your job description. Add those to the list.
4. Give yourself a Value Score (see worksheet). Be honest.
5. For those items where you rated yourself as a 1 or a 2, create an action plan to add value. Think of concrete ways you can add value to your expected responsibility. What can you do each day that will “WOW” your boss, co-workers, subordinates, or customers.

After you complete the worksheet it is time to act! Post the list in your cube or office. Each day make sure you are following your action plan. It will not be easy, but remember, success doesn’t come easy.

After you are certain that you are adding value in what you are supposed to do, ask yourself if there is anything else you can do to become even more valuable. Here are some suggestions:

1. Question convention. Are their new ways of doing something that will provide better customer service, lower costs, increase efficiency, or enhance employee satsifaction?
2. When you are asked to provide a report, information, or give a presentation, ask yourself, “Can I provide more than what is asked of me?” For example, if you are responsible for providing sales numbers, can you add more data, slice the data in a new way, or provide insight into the data that no one else has considered?
3. Reduce the stress load of your boss. Is there something you can do to reduce the stress or worry of your immediate supervisor? Think about what keeps your boss up at night. Can you do something to reduce that stress level?
4. Volunteer to take on new projects, sit on committees, or assist co-workers.
5. Speak at a conference to raise the visability of your organization (and yourself).

These are five options but there are undoubtedly many, many more ways you can “go above and beyond”. Think of your boss and your co-workers as customers and try to provide top-notch, above expectation service on a daily basis.