I recently had a conversation with someone who does not believe that Personal Branding is necessary. The one thing that stood out from that conversation was the belief that the world is filled with people of different capabilities broadly falling in either the ‘doer’ or ‘talker’ category. And to him, it is the ‘talkers’ who are most likely to embrace Personal Branding by virtue of being natural communicators.
This to me is an interesting yet flawed perspective.
While social media makes it easy for natural communicators to amplify their voice, it is the ‘doer’ personality that will stand the test of time when it comes to Personal Branding. The intensity of work and capability to deliver on one’s spoken & silent promises gives an individual leverage to authentically build one’s Brand.
Although seen in some quotas as an exercise that simply promotes the bragging of one’s achievements, Personal Branding is more about identifying and communicating one’s unique value proposition to others in a way that helps them understand how you can help them achieve their goals. Done right, it should help build relationships and create a sense of trust with your audience.
And to effectively build these relationships with trust; communication becomes paramount.
I believe that great communication is the cornerstone to human existence. Afterall, how possible is it to live in a world of solitude with no communication to those around you? Even those who enjoy solitude will still come out of confinement to interact with others around them. The difference perhaps will be in their preference to utilize other forms of communication, such as writing, drawing (art), and even listening.
What is important to note however, is that effective communication skills are essential for success in both personal and professional settings, irrespective of whether one is seeking to build a Personal Brand or not. The good news is that communication skills can be learned and developed over time with lots of practice, feedback, and reflection.
Nurturing your personal brand with great communication
Communication is the key to nurturing personal brands, and anyone looking to grow their personal brand must figure and build on their preferred mode of communication because it is the only way to connect with their audience, showcase their strengths, and establish their unique identity.
While some people may have a natural talent for communicating with others, anyone can improve their communication skills through deliberate practice and learning.
Here are some tips to get you started off in the journey toward nurturing your personal brand through communication:
Find your comfort and start from there
If being out in the crowd is not your thing, then stay away from public speaking and instead write articles. If writing is not your thing, then, pick up a pencil and draw or better yet, a camera and have your say on video. If group settings scare you, try one-on-one conversations and if you love being with the crowd, then pick up a mic at the next friendly function and start practicing your public speaking skills. Whatever your preferred style, find the one that works for you and start from there.
Start from there, but don’t just stay there
Once you’ve mastered your preferred go-to style of communication, identify your area of weakness, and take up development lessons.
Did you know that the even the most successful business moguls have coaches to guide them through different aspects of their lives? Recognizing your areas of weakness in relation to communication and finding experts to help you grow out of these weaknesses is a sign of maturity.
Grow out of your weakness
This means that you need practice, practice and more practice to become a master. Put yourself in situations that will force you to utilize your learnt skill. Consistent practice helps in honing the skills for the better; and this in turn helps build confidence.
Effective communication is everyone’s business.
It is difficult to succeed in the world today without good communication skills. Ideally, there are three main pillars of effectively market your expertise: speaking, writing, and networking. Choose the one that works for you and use it as the starting point to building your personal brand.
Irrespective of your communication style, remember that it is the doer that will win in the game of Personal Branding. Most talkers only last for a little while before they are weeded out of the system and this is not the intention of building a personal brand.
So, bring on your doer attitude, make communication a priority for your development and #Standout4Growth.
