I started thinking a lot about reputation recently after I was interviewed for a piece on personal branding by reputation.com. The idea that your reputation can make or break you has never been truer than it is today. And what’s also true is that YOU are in charge of your reputation. Your personal brand, your reputation, is your calling card. It’s what opens doors – or keeps them permanently shut.

Whether you are in your own business or working for someone else, everyone wants and needs to be recommended. Just look at the proliferation of likes, recommends, and follows on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+.  But do the numbers you rack up on these sites leverage your reputation, your career or your business or is just a numbers game?

HOW DOES YOUR REPUTATION SPREAD?

How many degrees of separation?

The definition of a personal brand is the opinion others hold of you in their hearts and minds. That’s the basis for word of mouth buzz.

An important way reputations are solidified is through word of mouth buzz. The fact that we are all linked by six degrees of separation is probably an understatement in a world where our links have grown exponentially through social media.

Word of mouth buzz is viral and can have an even more positive or devastating effect than social media because it’s a direct hit. It lands directly on your immediate target group – potential employers, clients, colleagues, friends, family, and neighbors.

So how do you learn what others think of you?

Something I have learned over the years is that no matter how many times you tell someone to give you an “honest” appraisal of you, your skills, abilities, potential, etc., their response is always somewhat short of the whole truth and nothing but the truth as they see it.  That’s why it’s important to have a way to independently seek out reviews and appraisals that provide you with the feedback you need to improve and strengthen your personal brand and your reputation.  After all, it’s difficult to measure “how am I doing?” if you don’t have the right measuring stick.

If you have honest feedback these are questions you should be able to answer:

- Do people see me the same way I see myself?

- Is my value recognized?

- What needs further highlighting?

- What can or should I give up to strengthen my reputation, my personal brand?

- What do I need to add to my arsenal of skills to enhance and build a stronger personal brand?

- Does my personal brand reflect my short and long term professional aspirations? Or will it hold me back?

Your reputation precedes you.

Social media plays a pivotal role in helping you establish your personal brand. Before I meet anyone I Google them, and look them up on LinkedIn. I want to know as much as I can about them before our first interaction. And I know I’m not alone in doing this.

Before the first conversation, I already have some opinion about that person. Of course, it’s not complete, but it’s more than just having a name and becomes my starting point for getting to know who they are. Whether the news is good or bad, it’s out there for anyone to read. And therefore it’s important for you to keep track of if and how you come across on social media.

Questions you might ask yourself include:

- Does my LinkedIn profile point directly at my personal brand?

- Do my profiles and appearances on all social media sites adequately answer the “Why pick me?” question?

- Is there anything on Facebook or any other social media site that can prove embarrassing or somehow diminish my personal brand?

- Am I visible on the web? Do I show up?

- What can I do to increase my visibility on the web that enhances my personal brand?

You’re in charge of your personal brand so make sure your reputation MAKES you – not BREAKS you.

For business owners, I wrote a piece for FOX Small Business on reputation that might interest you.

Want to learn more about gaining insight into how other people see you and how to strengthen your reputation and personal brand? Contact me.

Panelists at the Hofstra Conference

We all like to think that the work we do and the service we provide is recognized and appreciated by those we work with and for.

Think about the people you work with, the professionals you encountered or hired, the people whose services you enlisted – which ones stand out in your mind? For me there are two types of standouts, each of them drive me to action. The first is a bad experience. I go out of my way to warn people away from those providers. The second and preferred standout is a great experience. I go out of my way to recommend them whenever I can. I like to reward a positive or great experience, don’t you? And that experience is not just limited to the actual service someone provides but it also includes the interaction I had with the person who actually did the work.

At a conference I spoke at yesterday initiated by Tanya Cole of the U.S. Commercial Service of the Department of Commerce, one of the discussions I led was about just that – the VALUE EXPERIENCE and how it impacts you, your career, and your business. It was held at Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business and was well attended by women and men interested in exploring international expansion for their businesses and their careers. Each of the speakers (I’m seated in the middle) presented different tools, skills, and resources professionals and business owners need to achieve their goals. My area of focus, no surprise here, was how to power up and leverage their personal and corporate brands.

I defined Value as being made up of  two components. The first component of Value is the concrete - the actual work you do, the service you provide, the product you sell – the way you help those you work for or those you sell to, to solve some problem or fill some need. It’s the basics of what gets you in the game. What helps you differentiate you from everyone else is the second component of Value, and that’s the intangible part of the equation. I call it your secret sauce.

Your secret sauce is all about the experience others have working with you or buying from you. It’s what differentiates you from everybody else who does what you do, but can’t do it in the same way. It’s composed of the ingredients that are specific to the way you do your job, provide your service, or sell your products. It includes your history, your experiences, your unique skills and talents, your personality, how you make others feel, how you show them you care.

The Value experience makes someone recommend you, hire you, promote you, become your brand ambassador. It’s what drives them to action.

What’s your secret sauce? If you need help defining it, then contact me.

Clients tell me that one of the hardest things to learn is how to represent themselves so that their unique promise of value (unique selling proposition in sales jargon) can be clearly articulated and understood. The benefit of being able to identify and communicate your unique value is to ensure that people listen to you, believe what you say, and as result choose to promote, hire, or use your services. AND it encourages them to do so NOW.

Too often people worry that this smacks of outright self-promotion. My answer to that comment is that it really depends on how you communicate it, and how and to whom you tell your stories. When executed properly, it’s not about bragging, it is about proactively managing your career or your business so you can achieve the goals you set for yourself.

By strengthening your personal brand (what others think of you) in ways that highlight your value, you will be known for the expertise you provide. And once you are known for whatever you are highlighting it prompts them to think, “If they can do that (whatever your expertise is) for them, then I believe they can do that for me as well.”

I want to reiterate what I have written in past posts. Don’t sell yourself as someone who can do everything. First of all, no one can be an expert at everything so it will strain your credibility if that is your claim. And second, a jack of all trades means a master of none. Your unique promise of value is one where you can stand out from the pack and stake your claim. Being known for doing one thing expertly is often better than being known for delivering average performance on many things, especially in these highly competitive times.

Your expertise, when properly articulated doesn’t limit you. Instead you can leverage your outstanding work in what you do well and the reputation you have developed because successful professionals with outstanding skills are always in high demand.

So think about what “pain” you help your company, your boss, or your clients solve. Think about the skills and talents you utilize, the method you employ, the results you obtain, and how they differ from those with whom you are competing. What you will ultimately come down to is your Personal Brand Promise: the value you offer, for whom it is intended and your differentiation.

At Your Career by Design I help professionals and entrepreneurs articulate, communicate and leverage their unique promise of value. To understand what needs to be highlighted, we work together on defining goals, unearthing relevant talents and skills, and connecting past achievements to future rewards.

Too often we spend sleepless nights going over something we did wrong, what we could have done better, or a weakness that we perceive in ourselves that we believe is holding us back. But how often do you pat yourself on the back for a job well done?

The other day as I was walking home I saw a 2-2 ½ year old boy trying to climb up a stoop in front of his apartment building. I also saw him fall, pick himself up and try again and again until finally, he made it. And as he successfully reached the top he began screaming at the top of his lungs, “I made it! I made it! I made it!”

Each victory you experience yields a treasure trove of information about what you’re good at and often times, what you really enjoy doing. Rather than focus on where you are weak, look to strengthen where you excel. If you make this a habit, celebrating your successes will yield positive energy and improved confidence, and will keep those limiting nighttime thoughts at bay. And last, but not less important, increased confidence is what allows you to reach for those opportunities that expose you to greater challenges and continued growth.

We can all learn from a 2 year old. Here’s to your success!

This morning after an election night that ended a very long and drawn out campaign, I realized what a valuable lesson could be learned from the final results.

Whether you were happy or not about the outcome, an undeniable truth is that President Obama was given a second chance in part because people believed that he really cared. He was and is passionate about his beliefs and his actions have always reflected that. Whether or not he was successful in achieving his goals mattered less than the fact that he really cared.

I don’t claim that the underlying issues didn’t have an impact on the results, but judging from exit poll interviews last night it was clear that many cast their vote for the guy who was passionate about the people he represented and the causes for which he fought.

Passion exemplified in words and actions is the basis for building trust and empathy, and as we saw last night, for helping secure an often elusive second chance.

One of the exercises in my workshop focuses on passions. It is surprising how many people have difficulty identifying their passions. You can be passionate about anything – ice cream, old foreign films, horror movies – but the type of passion I’m talking about are those activities or beliefs that make you feel good about getting up in the morning. They give you direction and drive your purpose.

An easy exercise is to look around you at the people in your life – at work, at home. It’s not that hard to recognize those people who are passionate about what they do or what they are involved in. They seem energized. They seem believable. This passion is part of who they are – their identity. How do you or other people react to them when they talk about it?

Strong passions are what make you magnetic to others. They motivate you and engage others. When you are passionate about something, you trigger an emotional reaction in those who surround you.

What are you passionate about?

A lot of people wait until the New Year to re-evaluate their businesses, their careers, and even their lives. I think mid-year is a great time to give yourself a performance review. If you can figure out what’s working and what’s not working, it allows you the time to put in motion this year those changes that will help you move closer to your goals.

To quote Will Rogers: “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

So don’t just sit there. Ask yourself these questions and take action if the answers aren’t the ones you need to achieve the success you want.

1. Are my goals still realistic and attainable?

What else do you need to move forward on your goals? Where are you on the road to achieving your goals?

2. Am I taking enough risks?

Are your opinions known? Do your recommendations always fall in line with pack? Are you speaking up so those who need to know about you can hear you?

3. Have I gotten out of my comfort zone?

Have you challenged yourself? Have you taken on new projects, joined new organizations, or are you just keeping your head down and doing your job? Are you exploring and trying new ways of doing what you do?

4. Have I grown my tribe and my network?

Have you expanded beyond your core group of friends, family and colleagues? Have you grown the people in your weak ties network (see the post on the value of weak ties)?

5. Have I expanded and deepened my expertise?

Have you taken courses, read books, attended seminars, worked with a mentor, and met with thought leaders in your industry to expand upon what you know and be better prepared for what’s to come?

6. Am I spreading my brand?

Are you gaining visibility and demonstrating your thought leadership through your outreach – professional writing, blogging, public speaking, taking on leadership positions on committees and in organizations that encompass your target audience?

7. Have I asked for, received, and acted on feedback regarding my work and my progress toward my future goals?

How do the answers to these questions make you feel? Are you in control of your career? If not remember, you still have six months left to the year. Make the most of them.

You can learn more about me, who I work with, and the services I provide by following the links. And don’t forget to get your free report on Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

You can follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn, and read my articles for small businesses on FoxBusiness.

Is it all about WHO you know and not WHAT you know? The answer is yes and no. WHO you know can help get you in the running for that promotion, that job, that piece of new business. WHAT you know will help you turn possibilities into reality.

Studies over the past couple of years have proven that larger, diversified networks have a significant impact on your career and your earning capability. The relationship between network size, quality and expected wages is positive. The results of studies over the past 20 years reinforce the fact that wage rates of the most well connected are 15% to 25% higher than those with few connections.

The importance of growing your network cannot be overstated. But the value of your network lies not solely in the numbers. The quality of its members is a vital component. Two of my past posts focused on growing your network and building your tribe. But what about the quality of your network?

Your network consists of two categories of members: those with whom you have close ties and those with weak ties.

Close ties are those relationships where people know you well and understand what you do. You already know many of their contacts and the type of information they can provide. Generally, you travel in the same circles, belong to many of the same social groups, and may even work in the same company or industry.

Weak ties are the opposite. You know them but are not close. You don’t travel in all the same circles therefore you are not familiar with their networks. Because they are not in your immediate circle, they have information and contacts that may prove to be valuable for you, your career and your business. In fact, it’s through weak ties that the majority of leads are disseminated regarding employment and business opportunities. In short, weak ties enable you to reach populations and audiences that are not accessible via strong ties.

Not to confuse things but “followers” on social media networks do not generally fall into the category of weak ties. Although the broad definition of weak ties may fit, you still have to have some form of relationship built on trust, contact, or experience in order for there to be any form of information and contact sharing that extends beyond the superficial. Unless you build a relationship beyond 140 characters your followers cannot be considered weak ties.

What can you do to increase your network in a purposeful way?

First and foremost, ensure that you continue to deepen your close relationships so that you can each act as brand ambassadors for the other. Although they may have more limited resources to share it’s always valuable to have people who are “in your corner.” Their role as advisors, supporters, and cheerleaders is vital to maintaining your confidence and continued professional growth.

To grow your network of weak ties, seek out opportunities where you can meet people from different backgrounds:

- join organizations not related to what you do

- volunteer at nonprofits outside your immediate community

- keep in touch with former colleagues since their network will be different once they leave

- strengthen relationships with “followers” and LinkedIn connections so there can be more meaningful reciprocity in sharing information and contacts

- attend events that interest you and are outside your immediate sphere of influence

- take new classes and expand your horizons

Grow WHO you know with purpose so you can showcase WHAT you know.

What other ways do you grow your network?

Get my free report on Getting Visible and Getting Ahead. Learn more about my services, about me, or contact me for more information.

Connect with me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Let’s get to know each other better.

Why are some people more successful than others in getting what they want out of life? There are lots of reasons and I’m sure no matter how many I list, you will be able to think of others. One of the more important reasons is that people who are successful keep their eye on the prize. That is, they know what they want to accomplish and evaluate decisions that arise based on achieving those goals.

We live in a world that has so many distractions and a myriad of ways we can and do feel productive even when we really aren’t.  Cruising the web, reading countless articles and emails, posting on social media sites – it all makes you feel like you’re doing something important. But will these actions help you reach your goals?

Goals are our road map. They tell us which paths to take, which jobs to consider, which clients to take on, who we should meet or get to know, which skills we should learn, which talents we should highlight, which conferences or meetings we should attend, which associations we should join. The list is endless.

What is not endless is your time.

Identifying goals is the first step in taking control of your career or your business. It makes sense. If you don’t have a defined direction or path you want to take then your career or your business will be something that just “happens” to you. A rudderless boat can make it to shore if the tide is moving in the right direction. But would you take that chance?

Do what successful people do – keep your eye on the prize. Take the precious time you have and define your goals. A great way of looking at it is that goals provide you with the structure you need to design your career with purpose.

So take control and design your career. Take action, set goals with realistic timetables, review and revise the results, and achieve your desired objectives.

Is your life more serendipitous or have goals played the more important role? I know there are people who say that chance and luck played as important a role in their lives as goals. If you’re one of the “lucky” I would love to hear your story.

Get my free report on getting visible and getting ahead. Click on the links for more information about me and how we can work together whether you work inside an organization, are in sales, are an entrepreneur or a small business owner.

I believe so strongly in the power of your story that I am giving away a free ticket to a terrific virtual storytelling conference (Reinvention Summit 2).

Why do I think storytelling is so important? Personal Branding is all about understanding what makes you special, what helps you stand out, and what you can do to spotlight what’s great about you. As I have written before, your personal brand is about all of you – your passions, your values, your interests, your talents, your skills, your thoughts about the world – and how all those came about – your story.

When I read a book I always like to know more about the author – where they came from, where they live, a little about their family – basically any insight I can glean adds to my experience of reading the book. The popularity of magazines focused on TV, music, and movie celebrities attests to the demand fans have for background stories and insider information. The same holds true for you as a professional. The more people know about you the more they remember, the more there is to like, and the better they understand why you do what you do. Your back-story is what creates an emotional bond. Decisions involving functional needs (hiring, promoting, etc) are heavily impacted by emotions. So learn to create that emotional bond.

Here is an offer you can’t refuse. I snagged an extra ticket to Michael Margolis’ Reinvention Summit 2 and I am making it available to one of you. It’s a virtual conference that starts next Monday and runs for a week. It’s all about storytelling in a business environment. Check it out and if it’s of interest to you then follow these instructions:

Here is how to snag your free ticket:
Write to me and tell me why (in no more than 200 words) attending the summit would be good for you. There are no guidelines except to say that the argument should be compelling and attending the summit should be in line with your career/business/future goals and NO MORE THAN 200 WORDS. You can email me at email hidden; JavaScript is required with your pitch. I will respond to the winner by Sunday evening. Good luck and I look forward to reading your stories!

P.S. Pass it on to your friends!

What do people say about you when you leave the room? Generally speaking, if it was a professional situation, they would mention your title and responsibilities. If it was a more relaxed environment, they might talk about your character, how easy or difficult you are to work with, your values and how they impact the way you deal with others, your aspirations, and even your family situation.

Your personal brand is more than just your title and responsibilities. It includes the actions you take that directly reflect your values, your passions, and your aspirations. Your personal brand, your reputation, is constantly changing as your actions reflect your experiences, your challenges, and the influence of others. But no one action can define your personal brand.

The big buzz over the past couple of weeks has been the very public way in which Greg Smith resigned from Goldman Sachs. He has definitely altered the way people think of him – those who know him and even more to the point, those who never heard of him before but now have a strong opinion of him.

I have heard people say that he has really branded himself. But as what? There are many different points of view as to the motive behind his actions. He has been labeled moral, vindictive, whistleblower, spoiler, spoiled, hypocrite, honest, dishonest, and I could go on.

One act does not constitute your personal brand. Personal branding is all about who you are in your entirety. Not a reflection of one action – but – that action is incorporated in your brand. Whatever Mr. Smith decides his next step will be, it will define and strengthen the direction his reputation, his brand, will take. It will provide added insight into who he is and why he did it.

Your personal brand is always a work in progress. A few years ago I’m sure Mr. Smith didn’t have a clue that he would make this public declaration nor be the focus of so much discussion and conjecture in the news and on the airways. His action was a result of some experience – one that affected how he viewed the world – his values and sense of purpose. By taking this strong a stand Mr. Smith has impacted his reputation, his personal brand, but the direction is still anyone’s guess.

How about you?

- Do you know what others are saying about you?

- Have you defined your personal brand in a way that accurately reflects who you are today and hints at what you want to accomplish in the future?

- Do your actions strengthen your positioning of how you want to be known?

You are in control of how others view you. So don’t be surprised by what they are saying about you and take control of your personal brand.

For tips for entrepreneurs and small business owners these articles on FoxBusiness should be helpful.

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