The Power of Creating Your Own Brand
“Without promotion something terrible happened. What? Nothing.”
With the words of P.T. Barnum, Marjorie Brody, an executive coach and president of her namesake professional development business, began her presentation to the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association which met last week at Gerri C. LeBow Hall.
After a brief introduction by Alison Young, LeBow’s executive director of the Institute for Strategic Leadership, Brody dove into her talk emphasizing the power and necessity of promoting and positioning oneself and “creating your brand.”
“It’s not enough to do a good job and hope people notice,” she said. “You need to look ahead and position yourself.”
She gave several practical suggestions for presenting yourself such as dressing professionally, offering firm handshakes and never using “hedge” words.“ She also cautioned about being too cold: “Be warm, competent and inviting,” And she advocated for finding, well, an advocate or someone who will guide you and help promote you in your career.
Networking was a big theme to the day’s event, with Brody insisting that everyone always keep their LinkedIn up-to-date, not just when looking for a new position, as well as presenting your expertise to groups, such as writing white papers and mentoring younger staff. Offering an example from her own life when she, as a single mother, left a tenured position at a community college to take her part-time job full-time, she emphasized the importance of taking risks in life encouraging others to follow their passion and grow both professionally and personally. She offered these tips:
- Expand your skill set.
- Expand your knowledge.
- Be courageous. Take risks.
“What’s the worst that can happen? Nothing.”
