The Onederland Files

Your Personal Brand And Your Reputation

Each of us has a Personal Brand... In part, it’s to do with our reputation. To a degree, our reputation can rest upon what others, who think they know us, say about us. And in these somewhat volatile times, having a reputation we are proud of is something that has become pivotal. With a top-notch reputation we can win more business, stand taller, raise our self esteem, increase our confidence, and trust ourselves more.

To have a Personal Brand you are proud of, you’ll need to have specific qualities and characteristics in place. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all standard, there are certain aspects of our personality, when developed appropriately that aid our journey into being the best version of who we are. I’d like to share my heartfelt beliefs of some aspects of our personalities I consider to be highly important. First, we need to acknowledge the fact that we make a first impression within the first 10-seconds of meeting someone for the first time.

To ensure that the impression we make is the right one, we need to make sure our mind is free of negative thoughts. With this one quality in place we can convey an upbeat attitude. To dissolve negative thinking, we just need to breathe consciously, and when you feel comfortable, breathe more deeply inwardly and outwardly, slowly, three times. When we do this, we provide more oxygen to our brain; hence, giving ourselves an uplift in energy. Then, hold your head high; stand tall and observe how much better you feel. If you do this regularly it will become natural.

The other quality we need to convey is enthusiasm. Think about it, doesn’t it feel good to be in the company of people who are enthusiastic? We tend to mirror the behaviours of others, so each and every way we communicate is likely to be mirrored by them. Genuine enthusiasm is contagious, because it provokes good feelings and dissolves negativity, both within us and in others. To experience more enthusiasm, consider three things in your life you are most proud of. As Richard Bandler, the founder of NLP has said, “You get more of what you focus on”. So focus on all the good stuff you do, have done, and you are likely to get more of what you want.

It’s said that nice people don’t finish first, or can be trodden on, etc. Consider your intention and purpose. If your intention is to connect, and your purpose is to help others, being nice is vital. We do more business with the people we like. Being nice can be a discipline for some, an effort for others, and/or too much of a stretch. Irrespective of how easy or challenging being nice is for you, know that by going the extra mile and doing the right thing, even if nobody’s looking, will enable you to feel better about your life.

Being able to engage and build rapport is both rewarding personally and a wonderful quality to be able to convey. In essence, it’s to do with the desire to communicate with people in ways that are warm, personable and friendly. First, you’ll need to know how to ask ‘good questions’, questions that are personable, not personal. A good question is one that has a reigned in ego, and who’s primary intention is not about ‘what’s in it for me.’ It has to be a question that shows genuine interest, an ability to listen 100% and have a genuine desire to engage.