When you see the question “what is your personal brand?” what comes to your mind? This is something that I never thought of before starting my career in sports, now this is something I think about every day and so should you.
When I think about “personal brand”, I think about what is said when my name comes on in conversation. This can be in a professional or even a non-professional setting. To keep it simple, what are the first words that come out of someone’s mouth when they begin to describe you? is it hardworking? Caring? Passionate? Only you can decide what you want those words to look like.
Below are a few tips to think about when you are building your personal brand:
Tip #1: How you do one thing is how you do everything
Are you a person who takes a short cut when no one is looking? Or are you a person who sticks to a process and does things the right way? It is important to be consistent and do everything at the best of your ability. No matter if eyes are on you or you are the only person in the office, if you can attack each thing you do with the same level of passion, detail & integrity your brand will follow.
Tip #2: Treat everyday like it’s an interview
If you had the biggest interview of your life today, would you be prepared? If the answer is no, then there is still work to do. Focusing on the finer details and focusing on treating every day like it’s the biggest day of your career will make sure things don’t slip through the cracks and ensure you are prepared for anything thrown your way. Your peers & leaders around you will view you as reliable.
Tip #3: Blood issues Vs. Non-Blood issues
This is the best piece of advice I received before jumping into my first leadership role. What I mean by this, find your “blood issues” these are issues that are non-negotiable for you or things that you are extremely passionate about. Fight for these issues early and often. Don’t forget to always bring solutions to any problems being faced but being passionate about the right things is never a bad thing.
Tip #4: Lead from the front
no matter where you are at in your career, it’s important to lead from the front. You want your team to go tag seats before a game? You should be the one leading the charge and tagging seats with them. You want to hold a peer accountable? They should know it’s coming from a good place, and they should know you are doing everything you are asking of them. “Never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself” is a good quote to follow when building your brand as a leader.