Myth: Personal Branding Is All About YOU
April 28, 2008 at 10:46 am | In Book Reviews, Networking, People, Personal Branding, Podcasts, Success Strategies | 17 CommentsTags: dan pink, johnny bunko, self-promotion
False! Personal branding is not about you, it’s about everyone else. This post is required reading for everyone who believes that myth.
Note: I tend to do podcasts when the point can better be expressed through my personality and personal connection.
Daniel Pink Introduction
This all comes together as one of six chapters in Daniel Pink’s new book “The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need.” The subtitle may be a stretch, especially because one of the themes of my book is career development (more like brand development), but his six points are extremely relevant to the new workplace. This is the first business book to explore the popular Japanese comic format, Manga. Daniel explored the fine art of manga and hired an illustrator to help him write this book. His previous book, A Whole New Mind was a bestseller and translated into 16 languages. He is also a freelance writer (Fast Company, NY Times) and public speaker. His previous job, before he became a free agent, was the chief speechwriter for Al Gore.
Chapter 3 Myth Breaker
My favorite quote in the entire book is “You’re here to serve, not to self-actualize.” When you are working with a team and serving a customer/client, it’s about them and not you. He goes on to say that the most successful people improve their own lives by improving the lives of others. By helping people solve problems, even if they didn’t know it was a problem, you are more successful. You need to bring out the best in others by making your boss look good and your teammates succeed. Dan’s book is a perfect read for professionals in my generation because it’s short, contains more pictures than writing, and has six major points we can remember. Pickup your free sample here.
Give Before You Receive
When I was growing up, my parents warned me of peers that would ask me for favors, without doing anything in return. This reciprocal nature was never present, but if it was, maybe there would have been a relationship, rather than a “one night stand.” Fact of the matter is that if you take genuine interest in another individual, by giving before you receiving, that karma and courtesy will make you very successful in the long run.
Value Is The Key
“The most successful networkers give value before receiving it.” By emailing or interacting with someone who is more successful than yourself, the key is to have something of value to give to them. This is another reason why blogging reigns supreme. By promoting someone else’s work when they need it (Daniel Pink’s for example), the chances that they will help you in the future are much greater. I’m lucky that I can give a lot of value to others, such as this blog and Personal Branding Magazine. By building media properties, it gives you a channel to actually promote others, while at the same time promoting yourself. No one charges people to read their blogs and because of this “free economy,” people are more inclined to do business with you because they learn to trust you and see previous results and achievements.
People usually won’t help you unless you can help them. What if you have nothing to give?
Everyone has something to give, they just haven’t figured out what! You need to discover your brand and learn what your strengths are and what you can produce for others. You can’t get hired for a job, start a business or do just about anything without knowing what you can provide to others because that’s how money is made and people become customers. Before even being asked for something, take the initiative and do it for that person. Today is national “help someone else,” day which means that if you take the first step today, you will have everlasting success.
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[...] may be that it’s all about how you look and come across to people but I was very happy to see a very refreshing post at the Personal Brand Blog on the myth that personal branding is about you. Dan, who write and runs [...]
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Dan – I like your message, “Give before you get.” It’s also important to note that generous “givers” don’t keep score. You may offer something to an individual who may never specifically “pay you back.” However, by offering generously, you increase your reputation and the potential for something good to come your way from another avenue.
Miriam Salpeter
Keppie Careers
Comment by keppie — April 28, 2008 #
It’s so basic, yet so true. Whether you’re building a blog, selling yourself to an employer or to a potential client/customer… you have to give to in order to receive.
Keppie is right, you’ll drive yourself CRAZY if you try to keep score.
Giving builds trust… trust is the foundation of a relationship… and relationships are the foundation of successful careers AND successful businesses.
Great post!
Comment by Easy Author Websites — April 28, 2008 #
Great post, Dan! It’s funny, I read this article (from way back in 2006) just yesterday on the same topic: http://chartreuse.wordpress.com/2006/09/18/why-paris-hilton-is-famous-or-understanding-value-in-a-post-madonna-world/
And no, I didn’t write that, nor do I have any stake in its success. If I did, that would just lend me some bad “all-about-me” karma!
Comment by Aidan Nulman - Two Notes Ahead — April 28, 2008 #
@ Miriam – if you know you may need help down the line, it’s worth the investment in others up front
Comment by Dan Schawbel — April 28, 2008 #
Great post Dan! I enjoy reading your thought provoking articles. I do have difficulty figuring out how to add value to those that are in my network. What if you have some big-time executive sponsoring you? What type of value could you offer someone like this?
Comment by James Seay — April 28, 2008 #
Great book by Dan (and interview by Dan) here…truly love the use of cartoon characters to get a serious topic across in a lighthearted way! For the comment by James Seay; my suggestion would be to simply engage with the sponsor, and ask why they sponsor you? They will tell you why I am sure – once you kmnow this, give them even MORE reason to continue to support you by doing MORE of what they see in you. For example, if they are supporting you because they want to develop young talent, and see you as a future leader, then look to attend some more leadership traning, get involved in leadership groups, and commit some of your time to developing the talents your sponsor sees in you! Anything that makes life easier for your sponsor (apart from sucking up!) will generate even greater support from them!. No one (especially sponsors) like being dissapointed in their own decisions.
Comment by Luke — April 28, 2008 #
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Great post Dan! And a great message to get to people early in their careers. Despite not having the context, I too love the quote: “You’re here to serve, not to self-actualize.” I do a lot of coaching with people in career transition (outplacement) and in career management and planning (high potentials) and find that when people realize their brand needs to be intimately tied to serving others and delivering value, they are typically more successful.
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