Why Your Personal Branding Sucks

If I see or read one more person who believes they can build a personal brand... Well, you get the drift. Look! Here's the problem. Too many believe that a great personal brand looks like celebrity-hood. Too many others believe the model for building a personal brand looks like GE or Microsoft or even Starbucks. It doesn't. In fact, if you are one of those caught up in building your personal brand, I am going to guess that you are either very confused or you buy into self-obsessive behavior.

From what I observe, those building a personal brand believe it is about getting...

• rave reviews
• attention
• money
• celebrity status
• stuff

And you would be right, if you are the self-congratulatory kind. And that's why personal branding is a loser. Oh, sure, you can achieve your 15 minutes of fame and fortune. But before long, most figure out that spending time with you isn't that interesting or that much fun. You care and think too much of yourself. You're a bore and you are a fake and if I am hanging with you, so am I.

However, if you are confused, we can get you through detox and on the road to sobriety. Here's the first step: Getting known, growing your business and getting noticed or doing the same for a client isn't about "Me" (or "US"). It is about "Them". It's about being other-centered not self-centered.

Here are the next 11 steps in your 12-step route to recovery:

1. Build relationships.
2. Reach out to others.
3. Give more than you expect to get.
4. Build trust.
5. Build credibility.
6. Be honest.
7. Be yourself.
8. Be the best you can be.
9. Listen more than you talk.
10. Under-promise, over-deliver.
11. Be there for others when they need you.

Those are the beginning steps to get over yourself. To succeed in life and in business, we need to constantly practice the following mantra:

It is always about them, not me (or us).

More on the Subject: Rebutting Six Arguments for Personal Brands