Tom Peters On Your Personal Brand
Thanks, Tom Peters. I first read Tom Peter’s classic article, “The Brand Called You,” in 1998. I never forgot it. It changed the way I thought, and think, about the brand called, “Me Inc.,” as Tom Peters calls it. It has been a number of years since I had read Tom’s important approach to this career-changing topic. The world of work has changed forever. The recession is permanent. How you build your entrepreneurial career path and destiny has changed forever. Ultimately, no matter who you work for you work for yourself. Your brand. Your choices. Your skills. And yet, what you do with your brand is not permanent. Chart your new branding destiny but don’t wait. Act now.
After reading his article again–all I can say is, “wow.” My added experience, skill development, failures, successes, and small business experience as an entrepreneur just exploded with delight. Tom Peters was right. We are, indeed, our own brand and we must manage our brand with great care. Not in a selfish sense, but as a steward of our talents, gifts, and passions. Developing your personal brand is a win-win for you, your customers, your business, and your company.
Below are a few quick excerpts from Tom’s article. After these quotes I’ve included a link to the full article. If you have never read it-read it. Now.
To enhance your brand and your company’s website brand, click on my new book below:
A few excerpts from Tom’s brand brain:
“Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You…”
“The good news — and it is largely good news — is that everyone has a chance to stand out. Everyone has a chance to learn, improve, and build up their skills. Everyone has a chance to be a brand worthy of remark…”
“Start right now: as of this moment you’re going to think of yourself differently! You’re not an “employee” of General Motors, you’re not a “staffer” at General Mills, you’re not a “worker” at General Electric or a “human resource” at General Dynamics (ooops, it’s gone!). Forget the Generals! You don’t “belong to” any company for life, and your chief affiliation isn’t to any particular “function.” You’re not defined by your job title and you’re not confined by your job description…”
“Starting today you are a brand…”
“You’re every bit as much a brand as Nike, Coke, Pepsi, or the Body Shop…”
“Start by identifying the qualities or characteristics that make you distinctive from your competitors — or your colleagues. What have you done lately — this week — to make yourself stand out? What would your colleagues or your customers say is your greatest and clearest strength? Your most noteworthy (as in, worthy of note) personal trait?…”
“No matter what you’re doing today, there are four things you’ve got to measure yourself against. First, you’ve got to be a great teammate and a supportive colleague. Second, you’ve got to be an exceptional expert at something that has real value. Third, you’ve got to be a broad-gauged visionary — a leader, a teacher, a farsighted “imagineer.” Fourth, you’ve got to be a businessperson — you’ve got to be obsessed with pragmatic outcomes…”
“It’s this simple: You are a brand. You are in charge of your brand. There is no single path to success. And there is no one right way to create the brand called You. Except this: Start today. Or else.”
Click Here for the Full Article
Comments…
Leave a Reply