The Best Way to Build Your Personal Brand

The term “personal brand” used to make me recoil. I associated it with people who proclaim themselves “thought leaders”, “gurus”, “ninjas”, and similar terms with very little evidence that they have earned these titles. Personal branding seemed to me to be the underbelly of the world we live in, where one person can gain a following and stake out his or her own little corner of Internet fame.

Then I sort of became one of those people, largely by accident.

I never started writing on LinkedIn with the intent of developing a following or staking out any corner of the Internet. I just liked writing and knowing that there were people reading it.

I don’t think I have become a thought leader, but I do think I have accidentally developed a personal brand. And here’s the most important thing I have learned about developing a personal brand from my experience writing on this platform:

The return on investing in others far exceeds the return on investing in yourself.

That’s it. That, at least in my experience, is the secret. It’s not the education you received, the title you have earned, or the prestige you have gained. The fastest way to build a personal brand is to invest in the success of others.

Important in Other People’s Lives

A couple of years ago I heard Bruce Springsteen say, “I never wanted to be rich, and I never wanted to be famous. I wanted to be important in your life."

Bruce (if you have spent the money I have on concerts and downloads, you can refer to him by first name) has incredible brand loyalty. Personally, I have listened to his music at the darkest, most hopeless moments in my life—and it has always helped me see a way up and out of that moment.

He achieved his goal with me, and his work has been an incredibly important part of my life.

You don’t need to be Bruce Springsteen to build that kind of brand loyalty within your network. You do, however, need to use his approach of becoming important in the lives of others. 

Being Authentically Viral

Last year, after I started publishing on LinkedIn, a few people began asking for advice and feedback on their own writing. So I shared what I was learning, and noticed how strong some of those relationships became. As a result, I decided to pro actively look and see if new connections were also publishing.

If my connections are publishing I try and give them some advice, or at the very least, like their articles when I see them in my feed.

The result of this active investment in the success of others has been incredible. Doors are opening for me that I never thought were possible. 

So try this: the next time you get a new connection, look at their profile, and see if there is something they are doing or involved in that you could help them with. Share advice or send a quick message of encouragement. 

Let them know you’re there for them. 

When you do those things, when you invest in others you become authentically viral—meaning your influence grows because people are sharing your work and talking about you, not because you typed in the right set of keywords. 

The reality is that very few people care about what you have accomplished, but they might care about who you are, and people caring about who you are is at the core of any strong personal brand.  

But first you have to show them you care about who they are.

Four Strategies to Renew Your Career Passion

The search for personal meaning can be an ongoing quest. It’s a difficult process but it usually results in a very healthy and necessary awakening. Leaders, for example, need to work on this regularly in order to replenish their energy, solidify their commitment,heighten their creativity, and rediscover their passion.

But they cannot do so without first re-calibrating to focus on their goals and dreams.

Certain signals can trigger the need to take stock or adjust your perspective. Examples of these signals are feeling trapped, feeling bored, feeling like life is passing you by, or that your personal ethics have been compromised. Or maybe you just don’t feel likeyourself.

So how do you train yourself to recognize these symptoms of distress and take action before it’s too late? In my experience, it really takes a concerted effort to self-examine on a regular basis.

 You’ll need time to reflect, consider where you are, where you’re headed, and where you really would like to be. Let’s take a look at 4 ways to do this.

1. Take a time-out

Taking some time off is a great way to figure out what you really want to do. It gives you a chance to reconnect with your aspirations. Sabbaticals are a common occurrence in academic institutions, typically offering faculty members six to 12 months off - often with pay. Because this is less common in business settings, those who do so are taking a risk, to be sure. But in my experience, few regret the decision.

Do you think this is right for you? First imagine: no to-do lists, no meetings, no structure. This can be quite difficult; most high achievers crave routine. Additionally, what about the loss of financial security? This is often prohibitive. And then there’s your identity in your work role. For some people, abandoning their station feels like too great a sacrifice. It’s a decision that needs to be made with great care and careful planning.

2. Find a program

If a more structured scenario would suit you better, consider a leadership or executive development program. These offer guided settings for people as they explore their dreams.

Take a long-time executive of several health care organizations. For a change, he began teaching part-time. He maintained his position at work, even as his course load grew rapidly. But he was becoming exhausted. It wasn’t until he enrolled in a professional development program that he was able to design his ideal future. It became clear to him and his coach that he had a powerful calling to teach. Teaching was not just a diversion; it was his dream. So he developed a two-year plan for disentangling himself from his business role, and now he’s full-time faculty.

It’s common for educational institutions to offer these kinds of programs. And some progressive companies have also decided that these programs are worth it, as they result in a rejuvenated, reinvigorated team. The risk to the company, of course, is that participants won’t return. Fortunately for them, it’s more common that these employees return with new meaning and excitement. Either way, it’s important to remember that those who jump ship would have done so regardless.

3. Create "reflective structures"

When the late leadership guru Warren Bennis conducted a survey of leaders in the early 1990s, he discovered a common trait: their ability to remain in touch with what mattered to them. They created space in their lives for what he called “reflective structures,” meaning they allowed themselves the time for self-examination on a regular basis.

Many people rely on meditation, prayer, exercise, or simple reflection as their outlet. One CEO reflects in solitude for an hour a day, and sometimes two or three hours on weekends. However you choose to do this, the goal is to separate yourself from everyday demands and just be with your thoughts.

There are also ways to reflect collectively, so that you can share your ambitions and disappointments with peers. After overseeing multiple divisions of his consulting form, one executive decided to share his experience by joining a CEO group that met monthly. By joining a group like this, you’ve legitimized the importance of examining your role and learning from others. The benefits are quickly tangible; members exchange proven effective tips for the difficult situations and conflicts they all have in common. (It also creates a space for honest feedback – something most executives don’t hear much of!)

4. Work with a coach or mentor

When we’re in a confusing situation, disregarding our past experience to arrive at an objective stance is very difficult. Perhaps impossible. An outside perspective is extremely useful in this way. You might seek help from trusted colleagues, but it may be in your best interest to consult with a professional coach. Coaches are trained to help you identify your strengths and determine the best ways to use them.

You may also be fortunate enough to work with a manager who possesses a coaching leadership style. Coaching leaders help employees identify their unique strengths and weaknesses and tie them to their personal and career aspirations. They encourage employees to establish long-term development goals and help them conceptualize a plan for attaining them. They make agreements with their employees about their role and responsibilities in enacting development plans.

What makes a positive attitude?

We often hear that having a positive attitude is the main ingredient for success. But what does it mean to have a positive attitude? How do you know if you really have a positive attitude? Is it simply being in a good mood and smiling?

• A willingness to examine our strengths and weaknesses, and willingness to change. 
• Being open to new ideas and concepts. 
• Possessing the will and courage to address our fears
• Believing God wants you to have abundance and achieve your goals.
• Having faith that you, God, and the Universe create your reality. 
• Believing you can impact the world
• Believing that life is fun and to be experienced. 
• Believing that there is goodness and value in everyone. 
• A willingness to be yourself and believe in yourself.
• Believing that loves conquers all. 

How to CEO’s build relationships and network

There is often a reason why people reach the level of CEO and regardless of experience and education, and that’s because of who they know. They have taken the tie to build relationships over time that are of value. This of course has only happened because of their networking (or as I like to call it connecting) skills. 

So how  exactly “do” CEO’s build relationships and network and why is it different to everyone else? 

1.    They know their value: people in positions of power and influence know their worth and what they can bring to the table. There is no question in their mind on their qualities, experiences and track record. They don’t feel the need to prove themselves in every single encounter with someone. 

2.    They network at the right places: CEO’s have a vision and therefore know exactly the steps needed to take to ensure it is realized. This dictates the events they attend, how long to stay at the event and which ones to avoid. They never waste their time at event that does not add value to their role. 

3.    They get to the point: No fluff. Just business. CEO’s will often be seen at any event discussing topics that need resolving. This separates them from the rest who are socilisaising and having a good time – the type that won’t be promoted anytime soon. 

4.    They pay attention: CEO’s pay attention. They don’t look around behind you for someone better to speak with. If they don’t want to speak with you they will leave. If they do then you have their full attention. 

5.    They follow up: You will notice that a clear vision means knowing exactly what you want which leads to the follow up. If a CEO connects with you it is for a purpose and they will follow up accordingly. 

6.    They respect people’s time: You will find it a rarity that a CEO or individual in high powered position wasting time at a function or meeting. They respect your time and they also respect their own. 

SharePoint 2013: Adding a Blog to an Existing Site (without creating a new site)

Typically when you want a blog in SharePoint, you need to create a new site collection or a sub site using the blog site template.



Sometimes it would just be easier (or nice) to have a blog right in another site such as a team site or departmental site without the need for yet another site collection or subsite to maintain. No problem.

You can easily add a blog to an existing site using PowerShell. Fire up the SharePoint 2013 Management Console and enter the following command:

Enable-SPFeature -identity "BlogContent" -url <<the url of the site>>

Next, navigate to the site in the browser and edit the home page:

From the Insert tab on the top ribbon, click on Web Part:

Select Posts from the Apps category and click on the Add button:

The blog posts now appear on your home page:







Click on the sample blog post:

You now have a blog in your existing site without having a separate sub site!