The Evolution of Your Personal Brand

This time of year allows me to talk about topics I love to talk about all year long—including the evolution of your personal brand!  However, maybe this time of year is more about revolution than evolution.  New Year’s is a time of reinvention, both personally and professionally.  The question is, what do you want to change, add, delete or transform? 

Embrace the idea that 2010 is going to be your best year ever, and that you are going to take charge of your career this year!  Remember that all brand managers put a plan in place to guide the development and delivery of their brand, and you are no different!  What’s your plan?  Want to add new leadership skills?  Then what—specifically—are you going to do to add those skills?  Attend a class? Read a book? Practice some skills?  Talk to a mentor?

Take some time to think through how you will develop the habits, practices and skills to get you to the next level.  I can tell you that this practice WORKS.  I recently heard from a private executive personal branding client of mine whose specific goal was to be promoted into senior management by her next performance review period.  We talked about specific qualities that she wanted to express and she put a plan in place to express those…and guess what?  She got promoted!

So embrace some new thinking this year.  Don’t accept that “that’s the way I am.”  Baloney.  Everyone changes over time, so actively manage your brand!