Digital You: Real Personal Branding in the Virtual Age

These are your signature strengths. What do you do better than anyone else? What skills do you possess that are rare?

It’s your mentor. It helps you learn and grow. LinkedIn Influencers and Topics help you stay on top of news and ideas, as well as the wisdom of key influencers. Groups also allow you to stay current about relevant and timely issues, and they help you build relationships with people who can guide you in your career decisions.

Although based in authenticity, your brand must position you for what’s next.

The Expertise Economy: How the Smartest Companies Use Learning to Engage, Compete, and Succeed, “The one-size-fits-all mentality of corporate education is no longer relevant. Learning needs to be customized for each individual based on their skill and knowledge gaps, personal and professional goals, and specific interests.” That puts the onus on yo

empathy: your ability to recognize, acknowledge, and experience other people’s feelings

Ask: How do I want the audience to feel about me after the meeting?

Visibility: It gives you the opportunity to be seen by others.

2. Misunderstanding. Many people confound personal branding with self-promotion, bragging, or manufactured pristine personas created by a self-centered generation. The term personal branding has become hijacked by those who associate it with mindless, endless online chatter and the grandiose desire to be visible, known, and popular. Equating personal

This is especially important for people with common names or who share names with celebrities. It focuses on your ability to stand out from others who have the same name.

Now it’s your turn. Meetings are often the most powerful business activity for brand building—but not always. Identify the business action that sits at the center of these three elements: