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FYI
(Brand You)

The "Brand You" idea is about 20 years old now, but some folks are just coming in contact with it. One entrepreneur sent me a wonderful "thank you for the idea" email yesterday, referring to his first exposure to Brand You. BY has been praised and also has often been pilloried, and I replied with this:

"A lot of people have taken the Brand You idea and twisted it out of shape. 'They' say it's about egocentrism. That's off by 180 degrees as far as I'm concerned. The idea is that in a wildly competitive market, each of us, including Marriott housekeepers, has to be clear about our 'value proposition' and so-called USP. It's a matter of survival, not ego. Others have said Brand You is disloyal, a looking out for #1 attitude that puts the organization 2nd. Again, off by 180 degrees as I see it. I'd rather go to work with a stable of Brand Yous, hell bent on improving and producing Excellence, than with a bunch of 'just passin' the time' folks. Third, some say Brand You is anti-team. Again, all wrong. An effective Brand You is an effective networker (!!), hence more rather than less likely than usual to pay attention to supporting his or her mates."

This is just an "FYI."

Tom Peters posted this on 12/30/09.

Comments

Tom, Thanks for this! I have been answering emails that come to you on this subject for years, and from now on I can just refer people to this blog post. It's my impression from reading all those emails that more people have misconceptions about Brand You than get it (tho' I suppose the ones who get it don't write in asking about it).

Posted by cathy mosca at December 30, 2009 11:28 AM

Tom, the clarification is greatly appreciated. Interesting how those who criticize do so from a self-imposed position of altruism. Thanks again, I'm off to the stable.

Posted by Mike Cassidy at December 30, 2009 12:12 PM

I keep a copy of the Fast Company article with me at all times. Now more essential than ever, as if then was any less essential or relevant.

Posted by tom wilson at December 30, 2009 12:38 PM

I came across and embraced the Brand You article a couple of years ago. Whenever I pull it out and read it again it continues to refocus my mind. Now as a partner in the firm I used to be an employee of I've started using the article to try and have our sales teams think of their roles in a different way.

Ego-centric and anti-team? Couldn't be further from the truth. Such comments suggest these people are a mile off 'getting it'.

Posted by Gregg Utting at December 30, 2009 8:57 PM

BrandYou is about OTHERS!

In my experience, here's why. It "raised the level of perception" of my EMPLOYER, helping them "with entry into new business and in closing bids." It helped CUSTOMERS receive outstanding new value. And it makes my PROTEGES say they're "shaped to face any challenge." [I've placed some of these quotes at PradeepHenry.com]

Like the paragraph above, it might sound like bragging, but primarily it is about value/success for OTHER stakeholders.

Thank you, Tom, for BrandYou!

Posted by Pradeep Henry at December 31, 2009 12:34 AM

I am so glad to see this post from you. Unfortunately a commodity of personal branding "experts" hit the internet but they are in fact promoting self promotion. I understand why so many are confused.

This has crossed over to brand in general. Too many think brand management is new. Yikes. The word brand"ing" is the issue. When used, writers mean marketing and self promotion. We need more people launching and raising a brand rather than posting blogs about it. Then we will get it. Keep up the great work.

Posted by David Sandusky at January 5, 2010 9:03 PM