Owning your professional brand

Your brand is the most valuable thing you will ever own

• What makes you great?

• What do you do better than anyone else?

• What are you naturally good at?

How hard is it to describe something you've never experienced? If you've never tasted a slice of chocolate cake, then explaining it to someone would be a challenging exercise.

Often, talking about us is the same. After all, we never experience what it's like to work, communicate, or collaborate with ourselves. And while we may know what it feels like to be in the Zone and have a peak work experience, we don't know what it's like to be in our own presence when this is happening. And that makes it hard to describe ourselves to others.

Answering the question "Tell me about yourself" is something we aren't taught in school. We have to learn who we are and how to talk about that person to others.

It isn’t a simple process, but once you have the right language and become comfortable describing yourself, it makes interviewing, networking, and socializing effortless.

I challenge you to get support:

Learning about yourself is not a solo act: You need support. This support can come in various ways, just use your resources.

Lock down a career coach or sponsor -

A great career coach will make the process of knowing who you are fun, insightful, and fast! If you don't have access, do a little research and find one. Until then, simply ask your friends and colleagues for some feedback.

Ask your friends questions like:

1. What words would you use to describe me?

2. If you had a company would you hire me and why?

3. What are my greatest strengths?

4. Where do you see me having opportunities to be a better me?

5. Another option would be to survey up to 10 close colleagues and ask them the following questions:

6. What is the unique way that I approach the work that I do? Please be as specific as possible.

7. Is there something really special about me that you notice often?

8. What is the impact I've had on you and the organization? Please be as specific as possible.