How language builds the ‘Personal Brand’

Do I have a strong personal brand? I’d like to think so, but I’m not in a position to judge, that’s up to you guys! One thing I do know though, is that all brands are much easier to destroy than build, so we need to be careful about what we say, why we say it and how we carry ourselves.

Language is a tricky and powerful beast. When used well, it can rally people to your cause, but when used badly, it can damage your credibility and make you look a bit silly. If people are listening to you or reading your writing, it most likely means they value your opinion. Use that position responsibly to convey positive messages and your personal brand will benefit.

Steering clear of emotive language can be key when communicating in business. You need to offer balanced opinions, that are based on facts (real ones, not just channelling your inner Sean Spicer and stating ‘period’ at the end of a sentence) while remaining calm and giving valuable input. Don’t be afraid of silence if there is nothing you can add. We all know someone who throws their two cents in, even if it doesn’t relate to the subject at hand. These people have an uncanny ability to derail meetings, much to everyone’s frustration. Gary Vaynerchuck said ‘Content is king, but context is God’ and there were never truer words spoken. Throwing a valid point into the wrong conversation just results in raised eyebrows.

Whether speaking or writing, try to get your point across eloquently and succinctly without being insulting or condescending (that means talking down to). The consequences of deliberately or accidentally insulting your audience (or catching someone else in the crossfire) can be far reaching. Not being able to communicate a message without acrimony can make you appear unintelligent and you may never win back the trust of those you insult. If you want to be inflammatory, great, but don’t expect to be appreciated by 50% of the audience!

To paraphrase Simon Sinek, have ‘why’ at the forefront of what you are trying to convey. ‘Why’ are you writing that email? ‘Why’ are you instigating that conversation? I’m sure some people are thinking ‘Why have you written this article?’, so in the interest of transparency, it’s twofold really. I like to help people by passing on things that my younger self would have benefited from and I enjoy writing occasionally. So, if other people think ‘yeah, that’s a handy tip’ and (at the risk of mild narcissism) I can get some enjoyment from it, everybody wins, right?

Try to welcome new ideas and challenges to your way of thinking and reflect this in your demeanour. Being open and approachable builds trust from those around you and can be a reputation enhancer. But why should you do this? Personally, I do it because I genuinely want to help. There’s nothing quite like the buzz of having a positive impact on the lives of others.

Part of a quote attributed to various people is, ‘Be Kind. Always’. I try to couple this with ‘Start with Why’ whenever making critical decisions and communicating their outcomes. Different approaches work for different people though. Pick one or multiple people who you admire and consider to have a strong personal brand and try to emulate their behaviour. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

To recap:

• Communicate responsibly
• Stay relevant
• Be kind
• Be open and approachable
• Choose a role model

And one final tip, try to steer clear of writing preachy LinkedIn articles!