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ef="https://unsplash.com/@helloimnik?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Nik</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure>Those of you in corporate workplaces will understand that the narrative is constantly evolving.<ul><li>When you are younger, your success and identity largely depend on ‘What’ you know.</li><li>As you reach the managerial levels, it is not ‘just what you know’, it is more about ‘who you know.’</li><li>As you progress further, the emphasis shifts to ‘who knows you.’</li></ul><h2 id="9377">Therein lies the importance of personal branding.</h2>With a well-developed personal brand, you can establish trust and credibility which directly opens up new opportunities for (personal) businesses and career growth.I stand guilty as charged. For far too long, I thought my skills and expertise were directly proportional to success and growth. There’s a lot more to it.<h2 id="bc97">Personal branding is as important for success in corporate life, as it is for building up and sustaining a healthy following on Medium!</h2>Yes, I understand that there is no ‘I’ in the team, etc. but there is no harm in shining a little discrete ethical spotlight on yourself. After all, you are your superhero and it is your responsibility to ensure that you st

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and out in a crowded room full of blue suits.Oh, if you didn’t know, blue has replaced grey as the ‘power colour’ for the moment!<figure id="0c18"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*_axlHc1oksohSt8e"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@rupert_britton?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Rupert Britton</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure>Building a brand takes time and consistency. I am not going to tire you with the value of consistency on Medium — there are 1000s of articles that explain it better than I can ever do.What I am going to say, however, is that consistency creates trust, helps enhance engagement, communicates your style, and eventually helps you stand out.I am determined to make my brand ‘Me’ by remaining authentic.After all, to paraphrase Oscar Wilde ‘I need to be myself because everyone else is already taken’.<figure id="29c2"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*iUV78JLJAm65m7b5juJ0Cw.jpeg"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Thanks for reading. If you are interested in more stories from me in the areas of growth and self-development, please consider subscribing to <a href="undefined">Vivian Robert, Ph.D.</a></article></body>

The Remarkable Importance of Personal Branding

Your Brand is YOU. Be Authentic!

Cambridge Dictionary defines branding as “the act of giving a company a particular design or symbol in order to advertise its products and services.”

Until about a decade or so ago, this could have been a compelling definition. However, the rise of social media and the growing popularity of ‘personal’ brands means this definition no longer holds.

I have always been affiliated with a brand — be it with the Universities that I attended or the companies that I have worked for over the past 20 years and more, regardless of my contributions to these brands.

I was never ‘the brand’.

Despite a successful academic background with multiple degrees, a resume embellished with challenging achievements, and contributions to successful global mega-events, I still seem to inconspicuously blend into the sea of blue suits in a corporate event.

The reality is stark — I don’t boast a personal brand!

Those of you in corporate workplaces will understand that the narrative is constantly evolving.

When you are younger, your success and identity largely depend on ‘What’ you know.
As you reach the managerial levels, it is not ‘just what you know’, it is more about ‘who you know.’
As you progress further, the emphasis shifts to ‘who knows you.’

Therein lies the importance of personal branding.

With a well-developed personal brand, you can establish trust and credibility which directly opens up new opportunities for (personal) businesses and career growth.

I stand guilty as charged. For far too long, I thought my skills and expertise were directly proportional to success and growth. There’s a lot more to it.

Personal branding is as important for success in corporate life, as it is for building up and sustaining a healthy following on Medium!

Yes, I understand that there is no ‘I’ in the team, etc. but there is no harm in shining a little discrete ethical spotlight on yourself. After all, you are your superhero and it is your responsibility to ensure that you stand out in a crowded room full of blue suits.

Oh, if you didn’t know, blue has replaced grey as the ‘power colour’ for the moment!

Building a brand takes time and consistency. I am not going to tire you with the value of consistency on Medium — there are 1000s of articles that explain it better than I can ever do.

What I am going to say, however, is that consistency creates trust, helps enhance engagement, communicates your style, and eventually helps you stand out.

I am determined to make my brand ‘Me’ by remaining authentic.

After all, to paraphrase Oscar Wilde ‘I need to be myself because everyone else is already taken’.

Thanks for reading. If you are interested in more stories from me in the areas of growth and self-development, please consider subscribing to Vivian Robert, Ph.D.