Read the ABC's of Personal Branding here

As some of you know, I firmly believe we all have an Inner Brand and an Outer Brand. In many ways, each of the two Napoleons above are examples of Inner and Outer Branding. The emperor Napoleon and his familiar pose is a good example of Outer Branding. And Napoleon Hill, one of the first personal development experts, is a good example of someone who was all about Innner Branding .

Please read my first blog on Personal Branding From The Inside Out for Huffington Post:

HELP! DO SELF-HELP BOOKS HELP?


I've been asked quite a bit which books have changed my life. Then, almost in the same breath, most of these people tell me they's just finished reading a book that changed their life. This made me feel weird because I'd read the same self-development books, and usually, these were the books I'd recommended to them.

I've read numerous books of that ilk and none of them have changed my life, not a bit! Moreover, some aspects of my life became worse! I later discovered that these were my 'No Pain, No Gain' moments. However, I was furious that I seemed to be left out of these positive life-changing events. What had I done wrong? What did I not get?

This frustration led me on a journey to taking personal responsibility for my life. I've always believed that there's much more to our lives than material, on-the-surface kinds of pleasures and experiences. In fact, when I was in my early twenties I asked friends questions like, "Why are we here?" and stuff like that. I was considered a bit odd. So much so, a couple of my friends un-friended me because they thought I was far too serious. I was.

If I reflect on my reading habits over the last 25 years, the books that have stayed with me and continue to inform my behaviours and attitudes are: The Road Less Travelled by M.Scott Peck, Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl and more recently, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle - this book really touched a nerve, as did Byron Katie's Loving What Is.

And if these writings and others have had any effect on my life, it would be this: When I picked up The Road Less Travelled all those years ago and read a few pages, I felt less alone. Being different, which is how I always felt and was referred to by family and friends, didn't feel so bad after all. These books and others became my friends.

It took me many years to figure out that when my sense of balance was shaken, which it seriously was, it was an opportunity for me to re-think my life. So I chose to continue reading so that I could continue to learn. And although I wasn't entirely aware that I was developing more consciouness by learning how to be courageous and more authentic, I clearly was.

To read the article I wrote about Tony Blair's Brand for Business and Politics, please click on the link: http://www.businessandpolitics.org/?p=1645

THE POWER OF ONE’S PERSONAL BRAND

Self Presentation - The 10 all-important components of how you ‘package’ your Brand -


1. Excellent grooming – what a person sees first…
2. Upbeat body language – standing tall…
3. Good eye contact – steady & ‘alive’...
4. Attire that is appropriate to the business culture and that says something personal about you – professional polish…
5. Smiling – it’s contagious…
6. A firm handshake – certainty… If it’s an interview situation, it sets the tone…
7. Excellent manners – always…
8. A healthy appearance – taking care of ourselves…
9. Communication in person, email or by phone that’s congruent – one message one communication style…
10.Being engaging – fake it to make it… Do it often enough and it’ll naturally imbed itself within your brand

Your Reputation - The 10 all-important components of your Brand Promise -

1. Energy – mental rehearsal…
2. Optimism – it’s a choice…
3. Passion & Enthusiasm – key to all in-person communication…
4. Reliability – not the same as consistency…
5. Empathy/E.Q – the psychological glue that creates meaningful relationships in business and in our personal lives…
6. Humility – ego-less – life is not about one-upmanship…
7. Humour – lighten up…
8. Listening skills – listen with all your heart…
9. Focus – one thing at a time done well…
10.Integrity – be known for this vital quality…

With these 20 attributes in place, your personal brand will be given a significant upgrade. Moreover, whether you’re a CEO, spouse, parent or entrepreneur, your value and collateral as a human being will increase exponentially. You’ll also be considered by others as being ‘authentic’. Moreover, some of you will discover who you really are; perhaps for the first time.

'Tis the season … for giving…

In the spirit of giving, this Christmas I’ve made a donation to PLAN, an organization that promotes child rights and lifts millions of children out of poverty. http://plan-international.org/ I'm doing this instead of sending Christmas cards to friends, relatives and clients. Given the huge challenges that affect children around the globe, it feels like the right thing to do.

I wish you all a peaceful, happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Best wishes,

Malcolm

Your Outer Brand is a Reflection of Your Inner Brand

There’s a lot of media attention being paid to the new wave of being ‘nice’. In fact, The Sunday Times Style section tells us "It’s Cool To Be Kind Right Now.” You may be asking ‘what’s that got to do with my Brand?’ Well, just about everything.

When I read that Victoria Beckham is doing “charity work in Kentucky”, I realised that, like the New Black is Colour and 50 is the New 40, All About Us is the New All About Me. Hooray! It’s fashionable to be kind, generous and nice. I like that. And one part of me is delighted that common decency, thoughtfulness and kindness is now considered fashionable. However, having spent years in the fashion business, I’m wondering how enduring this new trend will be.

Following the hottest trends can be mildly addictive. I know, because, when I was in the fashion business, much to my chagrin, I fell into that trap on more than one occasion. After pitching up at a handful of fashion shows, ranging from New York to Barcelona, one can get carried away with the fashion cognoscenti swooning over a designer’s, often un-wearable collection. Think Christian Lacroix’s failed, loss-making, couture-fashion business. The top fashion buyers bought it and loved it. However, that was it, customers didn’t. Sadly, his brand didn’t have any commercial recognition or appeal. In part, that’s because it was hugely expensive, beyond exclusive and out of reach for mere mortals. In addition, the brand was too ephemeral.

Any brand, even a personal brand, cannot afford to be known as ephemeral. And in order for your Personal Brand to be strong, impactful and lasting, it has to be able to tell and sell a good story. Here, I’m referring to the ‘inside story’, or your Inner Brand. An Inner Brand that tells a good story needs to be congruent, authentic and credible. And achieving that wiil largely depend on who you are on the inside: what your Inner Brand stands for. Think about it, the people we most admire or warm to, aren’t always the most beautiful on the outside. Think Mother Theresa, Susan Boyle, Ugly Betty, the character of the title, Vera Lynne. What about Madeleine Albright, the first woman to become a United States Secretary of State?

So, in order to create a Personal Brand that’s authentic, congruent, impactful and sustainable, follow these 9 Tips:

1. Reject quick fixes and replace them with patience

2. Be generous to others, both in word and deed

3. Think positive thoughts, even when you feel less than positive

4. Be grateful for what you have, rather than focusing on what you don’t have

5. Be prepared to make sacrifices in order to have the life you want

6. Remove prejudices and replace them with openness & learning

7. Offer unconditional compassion and empathy to others

8. Be a good listener

9. Remember, giving is the new getting

As Dr Robert Holden, Director/Founder of The Happiness Project, said recently in The Sunday Times: "I think of kindness like an antidepressant”