Personal branding is not just for celebrities or influencers. It is a powerful tool for leaders at any stage of their career to showcase their expertise, values, and vision. A personal brand can help you build credibility and trust which can ultimately attract opportunities such as a promotion or a new job.
However, many leaders I speak with – regardless of career stage or age- struggle with building their personal brand because they face a common challenge: imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is the feeling that you are not good enough, that you don't belong, or in the case of building your brand, that you don’t have anything to say that anyone will care about. It can make you doubt yourself, your abilities, and your worth.
Over the years, I have received some great tips from mentors and leaders on how they tackled their own imposter syndrome. Here is what I learned:
Challenge your negative thoughts – one leader shared that often she would have negative thoughts and as she explored them more, she realized they were often fueled by irrational and unrealistic beliefs about herself. So, what did she do? When she had these thoughts, she would ask herself: Is this true? Is this based on facts or feelings? Then, replace them with more positive and correct thoughts.
Focus on your strengths and achievements – often we focus on our weaknesses, mistakes, or perceived gaps. Instead, make a list of your skills, unique talents, and achievements. When you start to feel imposter syndrome creep in, review this list.
Focus on insights: if a social post doesn't get strong engagement, rather than internalize this and beat yourself up, look at it as an opportunity to learn. Was the post too long? Posted at an inopportune time? Remember, sometimes the posts that receive small 'likes' actually lead to one impactful email, engagement or opportunity.
Personal branding is a powerful way to boost your career, your impact, and your influence as a leader. Don't let imposter syndrome stop you from sharing your authentic voice with the world.
Remember: It’s your brand and your unique view. Write for yourself and your brand, not for others!
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