We all have a brand, whether it is one that you’ve consciously fashioned or it’s simply the aggregate sense people have made of you. The reason why you want your brand to be positive is because it will lead to people being able to relate to you in the way you want.

To reflect on your brand, ask yourself these questions:

• Have I assumed that my personal brand revolves solely around my subject matter expertise?

• Am I viewed as unidimensional—only interested in certain things?

• Am I known as arrogant and opinionated or as a pleasure to work with?

• Am I known as a valued and vital strategic contributor or simply a propeller-head with deep knowledge in only a narrow and specialized topic?

• How would I like my stakeholders and colleagues to think of me? What would I like them to say about me?

• To what extent is there a gap between what I want them to say and what they might currently say?

You may find that there is a gap between your desired brand and your current brand. If that’s the case make a short list of the new behaviors, knowledge, mindsets you need and set up a plan to develop these new capabilities in order to enhance your personal brand.

Did you find this tip helpful? You can find many more in our book Master Expert: How to use Expertship to achieve peak performance, seniority and influence in a technical role.

Now available on 👉Amazon.