Personal brand BS

Look at me! Look at me!

We’ve all got a little of that in us, don’t we?

While I don’t dispute the need to stand out from the crowd, in productive ways for professional and career purposes. I do think the advice from some of the people pitching “personal branding” to the masses needs to be considered a bit silly, at best.Whether it’s branding for professional, or personal reasons.

There’s a right way – a logical, go-about-your-work professional way. And there are plenty of idiotic ways.

Go ahead, Google “personal branding.”

Yikes, it’s a business isn’t it? But like everything “new” on the Web it’s really not a new concept. Wikipedia’s entry for personal branding finds evidence tracing to 1980. It also cites the memorable article by Tom Peters in Fast Company in 1997 titled “The Brand Called You.” If you’re looking for personal branding advice, the Peters article is a worthy source.

But if you’re really looking to dig deep on the concept, on the Web, stay away from the silly stuff.

It doesn’t take much to spot the people in your company or social circles who are trying too hard with the silly stuff to stand out.

The goofball who now wears his dress shirts untucked at the office… with a tie. Because that’s his “look.”

The guy who thinks he’s the company social media guru because he sends out 36 social media related links a day on his personal Twitter account – on company time – and refers to Seth Godin as “Seth.” As if they’re friends.

And, the woman who kisses her Starbucks cup every morning to mark it with lipstick as “hers” on the conference room table.

It doesn’t get any sillier that a couple of media hits recently for noted brand analyst Martin Lindstrom. He was in Parade last summer and then appeared last week on NBC’s Today Show as part of their series “Build Your Brand Today: How to Stand Out in a Crowd.” He shared similar advice in Parade and on NBC.

There’s no doubt Lindstrom has made a living helping business brands do their thing. But in his interview with Meredith Vieira – who did an admirable job of not sucking up to him, in fact often appearing to look as though she knew she was wasting precious airtime – Lindstrom presented some silly personal brand talking points, which included “Create a signature look” (Like, I suppose, my example of the goofball with his untucked shirt).

Lindstrom also says “Become well known for one thing.”

I’d be careful about putting too much stock in that one. Yes, it can be an advantage to be known as the awesome project manager or the one best-suited to be the idea guy for a creative video. Those things tend to take care of themselves in the workplace.

But they don’t define who you truly are as a “brand” at work, or on your own time.

I fail Lindstrom’s “one thing” test miserably. I’m a corporate blogger, personal blogger, digital media producer, PR practitioner, communications consultant, writer, TV watcher, former TV news producer, youth sports coach, dad, husband, brother, brother-in-law, son, son-in-law, friend and Jesus follower… among other things.

What about you?

Be yourself.

And the brand of “you” will be clear.