What's your brand?

Never has there been greater freedom to be yourself. Gone are the days where children are encouraged to be seen and not heard, women seen and heckled and men seen as nothing but blackberry-carrying bachelors.

The age of authenticity is here. In these times where cash is lacking and trust even less so, the masses are looking for genuine associates and leaders. Boris Johnson is a man trading on his authenticity and is now being called out as a desirable option for our country’s Prime Minister.

Trust, or the cumulative loss of trust in our Media, Bankers, CEOs and Government isn’t the only driver of the authenticity movement.

Increasingly blurred line between ‘Work’ and ‘Life’

With the power of social networking, people are increasingly bringing subject matter previously restrained to their ‘private life’ into their work environment. Bosses follow juniors on twitter, articles read on the tube are circulated to work colleagues. Who you are in private is increasingly recognised as an acceptable determination of who are at work. Increasingly, family, religion and sexual preference-based community building events take place in the office.

Diversity is a strong driver

 In a time where post graduate unemployment is at an all time low, more 18-24 year olds than ever before are turning their backs on the expected route through uni and following a different road. Greater diversity of skill and experience is beginning to emerge as a result which our leaders are having to respond to.  In addition, there is the gender point. More women are in senior roles than ever before and the recent Paternity Legislation which allows new fathers the same caring opportunities as the mother mean that both men and women are beginning to feel comfortable holding out family out as a key component of their brand

Other social factors such as the explosion in popularity of mass participation sports have added sport to the makeup of many employee’s ‘life scorecard’.

All in all we are becoming more rounded individuals.

So, you can be yourself. But have you spent much time considering what your personal brand is? 
Be sure others describe you along these lines, so a greater awareness of your own brand will help you keep ‘on message’ and focus on optimising your own Life Scorecard.

Your exercise:
Take a moment to consider the collection of life components that makes up who you are and make up your own Life Scorecard. Career, children, caring for elderly relatives, sport, clubbing, crafting, gourmet coffee, cooking – select 4 or 5, write them down on . Are you aware that this is your brand? Do you live by this brand? Do you market yourself based on this brand at home, at work?