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In the last months, I've researched and studied quite extensively the phenomenon of personal branding and all that it entails. From high-flying strategies to down-to-earth tactics, with the help of hundreds of books, blog posts and bookmarked pages, I’ve mindmapped and vulgarized the concept. And I've come to one single conclusion:

It's stupid and false.

The foundational premise found everywhere in personal branding is that we need to identify within ourselves that ONE thing that distinguishes us, that makes us different, that renders us unique in the eyes of the world. I had to find the answer to the riddle : 'I am that (insert something here) guy'. What was it: that digital strategies guy ? that IT entrepreneur guy ? that Christian or church guy ?

After months of too many suggested tests and soul-searching questions later, I became frustrated at my lack of finding that ONE thing to pin everything on. I already knew what my core values were (link) as well as my belief system (link). BUT what was that ONE thing ? What made me special in the eyes of the world surrounding me ?

But wait… who was that world surrounding me ? Who did I need to develop my personal branding for ? Whose my target demographic ? My wife and kids ? My parents ? My friends I grew up with who knew me with all my zits ? My clients ? Anonymous readers on my blog ? My Facebook ‘friends’ ? People I didn't know who see me in conferences ? My students at my alma mater ? And what if I didn’t care about anyone and just focused on what I thought of me ? And what about God… isn't that who I am ultimately accountable to ?

The authors of personal branding applied some age-old marketing principles used for corporations to individual human beings, perpetrating the narcissistic and hazardous notion that we are developing a Me Inc. society. The relationships we end up developing become a matter of ‘what’s in it for Me Inc. ?’ And that is what I dislike about the whole social media wave: the notion that we make ourselves out to be important people by showing off our wonderful belly-button-looking side.

I cannot adhere to the principle that we are defined by ONE thing and that we need to push that image on others as some kind of single source of validation. If we want to sell our expertise and demonstrate our knowledge, fine. But we are so much more than what is in our head.

Therefore, there is not ONE single element that will define me, be it my work, my knowledge, my experience, my values, my relationships, my service, my social standing…whatever.

I’ll look up as the basis for my beliefs, look inward as I try to become a balanced and whole person and then look outward to see who I can help.

 


Comments

Sarven Capadisli link
05/26/2009 20:33

It sounds a little like trying to answer the question "Who am I?"

The "self" is just rephrased into "personal brand" in the Webtwoohplus. The fundamental question has not changed. Perhaps this might give you some insight: http://csarven.ca/mirror-and-self

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Maxime Larose
05/28/2009 06:53

The way I see it, personal branding is really a marketing strategy for consultants, entrepreneurs and in general people with a very active public life. For instance, a consultant may decide to focus on a specific industry/technology/method and "brand" himself in this specificity. Likewise an actor may be known for being an "action" star or a "comedy" genius.

Most of us do have some "branding". For instance, for me, you, Jean, are the entrepreneur. Your brother is the corporate guy. But that doesn't define you completely, of course. You are also the "dump and run" dad ;), the youth leader, the toastmaster, etc. The way I see it, whichever one of those you decide to develop as a strategy to achieve professional success would be your personal brand. So, it's not really a personal brand as much as a professional brand.

That's the way I see it anyway. Maybe that's not in line with what the gurus teach.

That being said, I think it's misguided to encourage everyone to develop a strong brand. It really isn't that helpful for most people. For once, you must furiously market your brand, something most people won't care to do.

In my case, I've always been very weary to be too closely associated with any product, method or technology. What happens when it falls out of grace? Re-inventing a personal brand is then very difficult as most people associate you with the old one. I've seen it happen many times (at different levels) and it's not pretty.

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