Personal Branding Strengths & Weaknesses: Two Sides Of The Same Coin

Posted by Rahna on December 3, 2009 under Branding, Personal Branding | Read the First Comment

In a Signature for Success talk I gave recently on personal branding, I asked the audience members to think about the qualities that are core to their nature…those character traits that describe them best—things like detail-oriented, friendly, strategic, passionate.  Then I asked them to write down some qualities that they might not be so crazy about, character traits that they would like to get rid of or improve.  Several of them noticed that the things they are really great at, the things that make them special, are closely related to what they perceive as their character “flaws.”

Have you ever found that to be the case?  In my work with executives in many different fields, I have found that this phenomenon is almost ALWAYS the case.  Someone who is detail-oriented can be seen as a perfectionist, someone who is passionate can be accused of being too vocal or fervent, someone who is a creative idea-generator cannot seem to stay on a concept long enough to execute their ideas.  They are two sides of the same coin.

So what do you do about that?

Well, the first step is to simply be aware of the issue.  That’s a big step.  In actively managing your personal brand, it’s critical to know what your strengths are so that you can leverage them, highlight them, build upon them.

But be aware of how that may come across to other people, and how there could be a negative perception associated with it.  I have always told people to celebrate what makes them unique; it is what makes them valuable.  But be aware that there could be some perceived downsides and look for ways to mitigate those downsides.  Here I offer two possible solutions:

Compensate with other strengths on your team:  If you know that you are a great idea person, but not so hot at follow-through and execution, make sure you have a real go-getter on your team.  It can be a beautiful complement to have someone who is NOT like you on your team.   Anyone who has been associated with me for any length of time has heard me rave about my assistant, Holly.  She and I are so different—and delightfully so.  She is organized, detail-oriented, thorough, task-oriented, steadfast and patient.  I am contained chaos.  Having her as a vital member of my team allows me to do what I do best and leverage her most valuable skill set as well.  So think about the tasks you hate to do, the ones you don’t feel you are good at, and ponder whether there is another team member that would be better suited to those tasks.  What qualities would you like to add to your team that may not exist today?

Expand your brand:  I believe that people can (and do) grow and change.  Once you are aware that perhaps you are too rigid, find small ways to express greater flexibility.  The more you practice a skill, the better you will become.  It’s just like flexing an unused muscle.  The more you use it, the stronger it becomes.  I’m not saying that you will ever “flip the coin,” becoming the opposite of what you are today.  But if you are aware that your passion can come across negatively, you can find ways to channel it positively.  You can find (and create) more balance and enhance your brand even further.

Regardless of how you deal with the issue, I must counsel you with this:  In order for you to really find your Signature for Success,  you must embrace what is good about you rather than what is wrong with you.  Yes, you should look to grow and improve, but be sure that you are looking at the shiny side of the coin more often than the tarnished side, for that is where your path to success lies.