The Misunderstood Role of Personal Branding Within Organizations

Thousands of books, podcasts, articles, online courses and free tips and tricks on how to create personal brands are available with a quick Google search. About two million results will pop up when searching "how to create a personal brand," and there are just as many about why it's important to create a personal brand. What is not as likely to pop up is how personal branding impacts organizations.

The typical thinking around personal branding relates solely to the individual. It involves the creation of a persona, most often through social media platforms, compiled of education, certifications and awards. Most business professionals will answer branding questions indicating that their backgrounds demonstrate what they have to offer — their value. While important, it is even more critical to tell the story of the impact your background allows you to have on the lives of others. In other words, it should be designed specifically to make others recognize a need to make a connection.