Go
(v) To act; the Ditch. Dare. Do! call to action
Go-time Grid
(n) A brand-focused do-list that houses your brand-building activities, priorities, and due dates
Grow
(v) To take action to expand your brand, your network, and your success
Know
(v) To uncover who you are, what makes you exceptional, and what makes you relevant and compelling to the people who are making decisions about you
Show
(v) To let the world see who you are—to be the authentic YOU
Snap
(n) A brief, action-compelling vignette
Spark
(n) A trigger that reminds you of brand-building actions you will take
KNOW
What Makes You, YOU?
Know Your Brand:
What Makes You, YOU?
The most successful executives invest time in introspection—they are both self-assured and self-aware. Yet most of us don’t spend much time being introspective. We focus on answering our emails, responding to voicemails, and participating in a seemingly endless number of meetings and conference calls.
You can’t use who you are to get what you want if you don’t know who you are or what’s important to you. What are your top five values? What’s your vision? What’s your purpose?
In our work with executive clients, we find that most are not truly self-aware—even those who are wildly successful. They haven’t had time for introspection; it’s not a priority for them. They often come to us for coaching on creating or improving their brand communications, increasing their visibility, and enhancing their executive presence, and are surprised to find the internally reflective part of the personal branding process to be the most valuable. It forces them to take a step back and really get to know themselves, often for the first time. They’ve come for the “punch line” but find they love the “setup.”
Be introspective. Understand what truly motivates you. Take time to understand who you are, what drives you, and what ROI value you create when you do what you do. Doing so is an essential step in the executive branding process.
Are YOU self-aware? Use the 24 snaps in Part One, KNOW, to discover and know the brand called YOU.
QUICK QUIZ
Before you jump into KNOW, rate how well you know yourself.
Total: _______
Now, add up your score. Did you score a 35? Even if you did, we promise you, reading and taking action on the concepts in this section—KNOW—will help you get clarity about the brand called YOU. But if, as most executives do, you scored less than 35, Ditch. Dare. Do! is for you!
Chapter One
Be a Brand
KNOW
Snap 1
Be Your Own Boss:
Promote Yourself!
You control your destiny.
Reality check: In the new world of work, building your brand is not optional. You are one of numerous executives with similar credentials competing for the same positions. No matter what the hierarchical structure is in your profession or organization, you are your own boss. No one else is there to take care of you. No one else will pull you to the top—not your manager, not the CEO.
In this competitive and rapidly changing executive environment, the only constant—the only security—is your brand and the value it promises and delivers. Power and momentum come from you and only from you!
Not long ago, your employer took control of your career.
As long as you conformed and didn’t make too many waves, you could stay with a company for thirty years and retire with a pension. Now, on average, executives change positions every three years, companies every four years, and industries every five years. Yet, surveys tell us that most executives spend less than 5% of their time doing any form of career management. It’s no wonder many executives feel adrift: they’re navigating without a map.
But not all executives relinquish career control while they’re busy
