Less Talking, More Listening: A Guide to Building Your Personal Brand

By Robert Dickie

We all know the power of brands. The mere mention of Apple, Nike, or BMW gives us a mental image and feelings we personally associate with each company.

Personal brands are just as powerful. Think of Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, and Beyoncé; they all have built valuable personal brands during their careers.

But personal branding isn’t just for the rich and famous. Everyone has a personal brand, and there’s no need to spend millions on advertising to build it. The best way to build your personal brand is to provide value to those around you. Here’s how to get started:

What is Your Current Personal Brand?

Knowing your current personal brand is an important starting point. Ask five people you work with what comes to mind when they hear your name. It’s best if these people are peers or junior and senior to you, rather than direct reports.

It’s also helpful to get reports from vendors, contractors, and connections outside of your company. Let them know you are working on a personal development project and their insights would be helpful as you're looking to improve your career. Most people are willing to help, and their feedback will be great information for you to use.

How Do You Make People Feel?

One of the most powerful aspects of a brand is the feeling it gives us. BMW wants you to feel the pleasure of the "ultimate driving machine." Nike strives to help people feel empowered when they use their product. With Apple we're supposed to feel different, countercultural, and artistic.

At a recent conference for leaders and consultants, I had the unfortunate experience of spending time with a person who only wanted to talk about himself. He continued to talk during presentations, had a critical attitude, offered unsolicited advice, and basically just came off as arrogant and self-centered. He was on a mission to let everyone know how great he was, and by the end I was worn out. Although in his own mind he had a strong personal brand, I wouldn’t hire him to polish my shoes.

Other leaders and consultants at the conference were focused on listening, supporting, engaging with others, and asking questions. They tried to provide value to attendees by having a servant’s heart and friendly spirit. If I ever need help in the future, you can bet I already know who I’ll be calling and who I won’t.

What feelings do you produce in others? After spending time with you, do people walk away feeling good about themselves, empowered, and encouraged? If the opposite is true, there’s a problem.

The Best Way to Build Your Brand

The brands mentioned earlier spent millions to advertise their distinctive qualities, but when it comes to our personal brand, we need to deliver value to our employers, customers, and people around us. When that happens consistently, we won’t have to tell the world -- the world will do it for us.

Your personal brand is just an extension of your reputation, and there is no better way to build it than word of mouth. When people have confidence in you and your services to leverage their social capital, they’ll recommend you to friends and family. And when that happens, your personal brand increases in value and will continue to grow.

Once you build your personal brand, make sure that you protect it. As we’ve witnessed with many celebrities, sports stars, and politicians, it can take a lifetime to build the right reputation and only seconds to destroy it.