What do people say about you? One key way you can influence the conversation!
Defining what you want to be known for – your strengths and values – helps you influence how people talk about you.
Admit it – are you curious what people say about you when you leave the room? How can you influence what you want them to say? There is a way!
If you work in a company that uses 360 assessments in which you actually ask for feedback, you might have a pretty good idea about the conversation. But if you’ve never had a ‘360,’ you might not have a clear idea about how you’re perceived.. by your co-workers, boss, clients, or even your friends and family. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, or what your job is – what DO people say?
Working on the anchor desk in TV news for many years, I received a regular ‘report card’ every day in the form of ratings. If my co-anchor and I had a good rapport and relationship, that came through to viewers, and they trusted us. If we were straightforward in our reporting of the news, and covered stories relevant to our audience, ratings were high. Credibility counted. I wanted people to say I was trustworthy, friendly, and knowledgeable. That’s what I wanted to be known for.
What would you like them to say?
Think about what you WANT people to say about you when you leave the room.
Are you friendly? A good listener? A hard worker? Honest?
What qualities do you want people to notice about you?
How to influence the conversation about you
One key way to influence the conversation about you is to pro-actively communicate what it is that you want people to say about you. What are your strengths? Your values? How do you make people feel? What do you WANT to be known for? Most of the time, we don’t consciously give this much consideration. We’re left at the mercy of what people will say. But what if you purposely identify your top strengths and values, and intentionally communicate them in your words and actions? Over time, these are the qualities that people will identify you with. They become your personal brand. In this day and age of social media and the internet, we’re all in charge of our own personal brands and managing our reputations.
Build a personal brand statement
Once you identify how you want people to experience their interactions with you, your top strengths and values, consider the results you want to achieve. They can be related to your job and the outcomes you deliver. Then you can put the entire statement together. I want to be known for being a, b and c…. so that I can deliver x, y and z. That becomes your personal brand statement and what you actively communicate to those around you. It becomes the one key way you can influence what people say about you!
My personal brand statement has evolved since I left the anchor desk. Now, as an executive coach, I want to be known for being a positive force, a ‘maximizer’ to help others realize their potential, and a powerful communicator, so that I can deliver quality coaching that enables my clients to reach their goals.
What’s your personal brand statement? Let me know how I can support you moving forward.
