Читать книгу Ditch. Dare. Do! - William Arruda - Страница 20

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Be the Real Deal:

Be YOU!

All strong brands are founded in authenticity. Branding is not spin.

Done right, branding is genuine. Unique. Real. It’s not packaging or creating a false image for the outside world. Being YOU is empowering, energizing, attractive, and satisfying. It is the driver that helps you deliver value to your employer. It is the key to successful branding.

Oscar Wilde once quipped, “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” To truly be yourself you must know who you are, where you want to go, and what drives you. You must also understand others’ perceptions of you. Only after deep introspection and regular pursuit of feedback can you gain true knowledge of yourself and true clarity about your reputation.

That clarity—that authentic comfort in your own skin—builds a confidence that is magnetic to others. We all know people at work who radiate authenticity and confidence, and we like to be around them. They are natural leaders; they make us feel better and do better.

Sometimes being yourself is as simple as taking your passions to work. If you leave what you love at the door, you’re incomplete. People sense that you’re inauthentic, not because you’re playing a role, but because you’re not fully you.

Deb worked with a client who was a calm, quiet leader. He felt his career had leveled off because he was not seen as an energetic driver. Yet in his off-time, he was an expert marathon runner, downhill skier, and motorcycle racer. And in every sport, he was an intense and deliberate planner. For example, when planning his marathons, he determined exactly how and when to train, and plotted every nuance of the course—when to sprint, when to rest, when to take water breaks. He completed every one of the 14 marathons in which he competed—and finished some in fewer than three hours! He and Deb made a plan to weave his marathon running into his leadership style. His personal mantra “Set the pace to win the race” became a professional persona that connected his marathon methodology to his business ROI. What some had misinterpreted as a plodding management style was soon appreciated by teams and leadership as a clearly valuable, trusted asset. Score!

Anne Morrow Lindberg said, “The most exhausting thing you can do is to be inauthentic.” Use your authentic self—your values, passions, and vision—to guide your career and lead your team. You’ll become a magnetic “must-have” resource.

Shakespeare wrote, “To thine own self be true.” Are you ready to let people know who you really are?

DARE

Stop being who you think people want you to be. Just BE. Really. Try it. You are SO worth it!