Finding purpose and meaning is an essential part of the human experience. It shapes the goals we set, the actions we take, and ultimately the lives we lead.
The same applies when building a leadership brand or personal brand. Before positioning yourself as an industry expert, first reflect inward to uncover your authentic purpose that will anchor and guide your external image.
Clarifying your purpose and aligning your vision gives your personal brand foundation and direction. It allows you to remain authentic while you establish your expert authority. When you know what truly matters to you, it comes through in the passion you exude and connects you with the right people and opportunities.
So where do you start to find clarity of purpose for your brand? Here are some key areas for self-reflection:
Assess Your Strengths and Skills
Take an inventory of your abilities and talents. What skills come easily to you? What makes you curious? When do you feel fully engaged and lose track of time? Use tools like a SWOT analysis, HIGH5 test or Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment to help uncover your innate talents. Look back on the times when you felt most confident and alive. Understanding your strengths allows you to identify pathways to purpose.
Get Specific on Your Passions
It’s not enough to simply say “I’m passionate about business”. You need to get detailed about what aspects light you up. For example, are you energised by the challenge of developing a new product? Does the psychology behind brand messaging inspire you? Getting ultra-clear on your passions ensures you pursue aligned activities as you build your brand.
Envision Your Ideal Impact
Imagine your life years from now. What legacy or impact do you see yourself leaving behind? What change or contribution do you want to make through your work? Envision the end goal and work backwards to outline the steps to get there. Having a clear view of your ideals and vision creates a personal north star to guide your brand.
Set Shorter-Term Goals
While keeping the bigger picture in mind, also outline 1-3 year milestones that ladder up to your overarching vision. This might include targets like “Publish book on inspirational leadership by 2025” or “Launch online business school by 2024”. Use these goals as checkpoints to ensure you stay on track in building your personal brand.
By taking the time to do this self-examination and clearly define your purpose, passions and goals, you build an authentic foundation for your personal brand. The vision you shape serves as a compass to guide your activities, communicate what you stand for, and connect with those you can help or work with. Revisit and refine this clarity as needed while establishing boundaries that allow you to stay true to your core motivations.
Get introspective, give yourself permission to look deep within yourself…then put your purpose front and centre of your brand through consistent, purposeful storytelling. Everything else will unfold naturally once you know your purpose and find alignment in what you think, say and do.
Define Your Personal Mission Statement
Now bring your purpose together into a defining statement – your personal mission. This mission statement encapsulates your inspirations, strengths, goals and reason for being. It should motivate you while also explaining what you offer the world. Refer back to this when making decisions for your brand, like choosing projects, partnerships, content or campaigns.
For example, a personal mission statement may be “To empower young entrepreneurs to build businesses aligned with their values through inspirational storytelling and strategic business leadership programs”.
YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY, MADE GREAT
Here at Made Great, we work with our clients to elevate and align your leadership brand with your business objectives and provide expert guidance and tailored insights to connect you with the right people.
We understand the importance of human connection in brand messaging. We offer decades of experience providing tailored and intuitive insights to help you connect with the right people.
Get in touch with us to learn how we can be your strategic partner for leadership branding Greatness.
