Inner Whizdom

Categories are handy for other people and limiting for me. I want them when I’m looking for something but don’t want to put myself in a box. See also Labels, Brands, Types.

I guess the trick is to use categories as long as they are useful but also keep in mind that the name is not a thing. Ceci n’est pas une pipe.

Kudos to the organizers and sponsors of A Brand You World Personal Branding Summit. It was well-run and informative.

While I still have some resistance to the language, and thinking of myself as a commodity, I get the point. Everyone on the brandwagon (I think I first heard Kirsten Dixson use that expression) basically says Personal Branding is “being yourself.” That’s all well and good to say it, but many of them give you some ways to know what that means and how to do it. And, while being yourself (and knowing what that is) is essential, the part that’s hardest for me is “selling yourself.”

What I took away from yesterday’s summit is that selling yourself = loving yourself and sharing your gifts. That is something I understand and enthusiastically support. My thanks to Susan Britton Whitcomb for my favorite quote of the day, “Your gifts are to be given.”

I’m learning about Personal Branding– reading Career Distinction, looking forward to A Brand You World– the all-day telesummit on 11/8.

I must admit I have a certain amount of resistance to the topic.

I’m slightly repulsed by the idea of thinking of one’s self as a product. I’m also not very good at it. While I recognize the success of these marketing efforts, I remain fuzzy and unable to communicate clearly what sets me apart.

My 360 Reach results describe me as “Communicative.” What does that mean? Clifton StrengthsFinder 2.0 says I’m strong at Connectedness and something they call “Individualization”– that means I’m intrigued by the unique qualities of each person. But that also means I imagine everyone having a different point of view about what Communicative means!

Do you see my dilemma?

I’m basically uninterested in what sets me apart. I care about you, and what we are together. Where are we alike? How might we co-operate for mutual benefit?

I understand that people want to know about me, learn my story. It’s helpful. I want to learn how to do it better. So I can be Communicative– whatever that means.