I spoke to a leader today who told me that they are working with a coach to brand themselves as well as increase their brand presence on social media. This rather intrigued me because the person I was speaking to is a leader and an influencer for all intents and purposes. What I mean is, once you hear their title, you will wonder to yourself why they need coaching on personal branding. You would assume that they would just leverage their title and voila, you have a personal brand. But I thought about it and I wondered, hhmmmm….. is personal branding truly the issue in question or is this person in pursuit of finding out who they really are. Secondly, what are the reasons behind the desire to brand themselves? So what? Think of it this way, I get a good coach, they help me with how I can go about branding myself, I do it and then what? What is my end game?
I know, I am asking a lot of questions but this is the only way you and I will get answers. Leaders ask many many questions.
Personal branding without knowing who you are in my books is a non-starter. However, I believe that this is a very noble cause and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.
A word of caution though. If you are going to proceed to brand yourself, consider examining your heart first. When wading into digital space, you have to check your heart. Why are you building a presence on social media? What is your main driving force? I believe you must first establish the motive behind your doing so. If the reason for doing so is self-seeking, then don’t do it. First, it is not worth your time and effort and secondly, you may not be ready to receive the backlash that will be sent your way. In you thinking this may be a good self-serving idea to make money fast and to gain popularity, if you don’t know who you are, your self-esteem may be destroyed in a flash.
If you are a true leader, a leader of high moral standing, one driven by conviction, remember that personal branding and creating a digital presence comes with pressure and expectations. In today’s times, you will be looked upon for guidance and encouragement. A brand is often something that others admire. Ensure that in all that you do, you do it for the glory of God and to serve humanity. Live with a brand that is pleasing to God, that will honor Him forever. A personal and spiritual brand that lifts others up and draws people to hope and love. Be someone whose brand screams LOVE!
We would love to hear from you. Let us know what your thoughts on personal branding are and remember, if you need to rediscover who you are, why on earth you are here and what you can do to leave the world better than you found it, you can contact us here.
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