How well do you know yourself?

Many of us believe we know ourselves quite well. We are good at telling ourselves stories and believing them! What story have you created for yourself? How is it helping you? How is it holding you back or keeping you stuck?

When working with my clients in a coaching engagement, I begin with some sort of assessment, ideally a 360˚ review. Though we may think we know ourselves well, our self-view is likely a bit “jaded” in that we know it from our own perspectives. If we don’t take the time to learn how others perceive us and experience us, we fail to reveal our blind spots. When we do take the time to learn others’ perspectives of us, opportunities to learn, grow and develop beyond where we are become possible.

It’s not uncommon for me to receive a call from a prospective client, or client organization, who feels they know themselves, or the hiring organization knows what the client they want me to work with “needs”. Coaching is not about “fixing”, it’s about being there to support a client to reach his or her potential. And, in order to reach one’s potential, learning and discovering more about oneself is an essential part of the process.

Your personal brand lies at the intersection of how you see yourself and how others see you.

Many months ago, I was approached by a marketing expert. We talked about collaborating on a workshop on personal branding. His expertise is in company branding, and he was curious from my perspective how I helped my clients build or clarify their own brand messaging. When I said I would start with some sort of assessment, maybe even a mini-360˚ review, he was intrigued. The reality is our personal brands lie at the intersection of how we see ourselves and how others see us. If I, personally, tried to tout my brand only as how I see myself, rather than, for example, how my clients experience me, there would be a huge disconnect, and, I would lose out on many opportunities. My clients experience me in so many positive ways that I don’t always think about. They are the best individuals to help others who are considering engaging my services, to understand how I can best support them.

Why is clarifying and building your own personal brand important?

First, it’s a way to learn more about yourself. Many of us are not our own best self-advocates. Digging deep and getting feedback to help you shine a light on your strengths, special qualities, your differentiators, and creating your personal brand, allows you to help others know more about you, your value and your uniqueness. When an opportunity comes up for which you would be a strong fit, in your company for example, those who know your value and uniqueness might ask you to work on the project or consider you for an open position. Similarly, when looking for a new job outside of your current company, having clarity on your strengths, what makes you unique, what value you have to offer, makes it easier for you to help others understand this about you.

Are you lacking clarity on your strengths, how you add value and what differentiates you from others? Are you able to self-promote? I partner with individuals, teams and organizations to help them achieve optimal results. Interested in learning more? Let’s connect.

“Don’t be scared to present the real you to the world, authenticity is at the heart of success.” Unknown