5 Ways to Avoid an ‘Average’ Personal Brand
Why is it that we find it more natural to focus on what we suck at rather than what we are awesome at? I used to think this was cultural and that some cultures are simply more prone to talking about their weaknesses. In Japan, for example, people almost go into a state of denial …
A Secret For Dressing Like A C.E.O.
Dressing for success is not just about your attire.
Walk into the office of any CEO and look at his/her desk. You will almost always find a space that is neat and free of clutter. There are a lot of factors that go into being successful. Among them are being well-organized and highly productive.
Unfortunately, …
The Right Question to Ask
The right question is: What value do you / your brand / your company offer the world?
If you are not clear on the value that your brand offers the world, you significantly limit your brand and never fulfill your career’s potential.
But what does it look like to be clear on the value you …
Personal Brands are Like a Sweet ‘Onion’
Have you ever heard the expression “Culture is like an onion”?
Geert Hofstede, a social psychologist created this explanation of culture. In his view culture is a system that can be peeled, layer by layer, in order to reveal the inner, true content. Imagine the whole onion as ‘culture’ and as you peel on, you …
How Not to Stick Out Like A Sore Thumb
Too often we hear terms in meetings that we don’t understand. Yet, too embarrassed to ask for clarification. Sometimes its okay to stick out like a sore thumb.
Sometimes these are terms that are mentioned by colleagues, managers, vendors and even customers. Not knowing these terms and the context for using them can risk …
Let Your Brand Tell a Story
We often think of branding as a one-time thing. Set up your visual aspects, refine your messaging, portray the brand, and engage customers and watch it catch on.
But branding is an ongoing initiative, and one aspect of it that really ties in the idea of “personal branding” is to make it uber-personal. And you …
5 Ways To Anticipate and Benefit From Change
“Haw now realized that the change probably would have not taken him by surprise, if he had been watching what was happening all along, and if he had anticipated change”.
I just finished my annual visit with Spencer Johnson’s Who Moved My Cheese. I find this simple allegory and story so timeless, relevant and helpful …
Personal Branding Weekly and Conference Focus
Editor’s Note: Because I was attending New Media Expo 2013 last Sunday, I didn’t have the opportunity to fully introduce you to one of our newest authors – Peter Sterlacci.
Peter is known as “Japan’s personal branding pioneer” and is one of only 15 Master level Certified Personal Branding Strategists in the …
Three Words You Should Banish from Your Vocabulary
There are three words I suggest banning from your vocabulary. Not because they aren’t words (that’s a different post all together), but because when these words are used it usually means the person using them doesn’t have a plan or an intention to do whatever it is you are asking. At best they are filler …
Dialing In Your Personal Brand Across Cultures
One of the best articles I read this year was a New York Times article titled “Young and Global Need Not Apply in Japan.” It highlighted the struggle Japanese, who have studied abroad, are having with landing jobs within Japanese companies upon returning to Japan. Although these “returnees” are eager to gain experience in a …