Do Not Brand Me

successful
trustworthy
well dressed
reputable
expert
having integrity
funny
reliable
smart
relatable
....and many more

These are all characteristics that can describe one's persona. Who you are, or at least how you are perceived. They describe what you stand for and what people can expect from you. As a sales leader I believe in representing yourself at your personal best all of the time; however, a term that is over-used and abused is "personal brand".  Why this term came about to describe one's personal image is beyond me.  It almost seems like an oxymoron. 

Personal - human, intimate, living
Brand - product, thing, inanimate 

Do Not Brand Me

Here are a few definitions for brand.  When you read through them it's hard to believe that any person would desire to have a "personal brand".

1. a particular product or a characteristic that serves to identify a particular product
2. kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark
3. a mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, or ownership
4. a mark put upon criminals with a hot iron
5. any mark of disgrace; stigma.

Here's another undesirable definition for the word brand

     6.  a  fungal disease of garden plants characterized by brown spots on the leaves

 

There are only 57 days left to 2013.  Take a personal inventory. 

-How do you want people to see you? 

-What do you want them to say about you when you leave the room? 

-How do you think that this differs from reality? 

-What can you do about it to make their perception of you match the image you want them to see?