What do you think of when you see the Apple logo? Perhaps some think of innovative, cutting edge products. When I see the Chick Fil-A logo, I think of a respected, well-run faith-based organization. The brand of an organization or their products is very important in what it represents to others.

Where I work, we often talk about someone’s “brand”. I first heard of that concept years ago when my friend Kevin was doing a leadership talk on the subject. But what does that mean, our personal brand? It may be a new concept to you. Here are a few things to consider when thinking about your personal brand:

1. Distinguishing factors. What distinguishes you from others, or what makes you different from others? What words describe you? A few things to think about here are your unique…

• Passions
• Callings
• Goals
• Mission
• Vision
• Beliefs
• Core Values
• Experiences
• Gifts, talents and strengths

What would you add to this list?

2. Reputation. What do people, who don’t even know you, think of you? We can call that your reputation. How do you develop a reputation? And how do you correct one that is not what you want it to be? Reputations are often accurate, but not always. I remember a few years back when I found out that I would be reporting to a leader that I had formed an opinion about based on what I had heard about them over the years. In one of our first meetings they stated “You may have heard some things about me.” Well, in the bubble above my head I’m thinking, “Yes, I certainly have”. They went on to say “I would challenge you to talk to people who have worked closely with me. They may have some different things to say about me than those who have only worked with me on the periphery”. And guess what? Despite my concerns, I very much enjoying working with that leader. They were one of my favorite leaders in my 35+ year career. They were very supportive and caring, not at all like the reputation of them I heard from others.

What do you think your reputation is? What do people who don’t know you think about you?

3. Reflecting Christ. Most important to me, as a believer, I want to reflect Christ and represent Him well. When others see me, I want them to see Christ in me. I want to reflect Christ’s light just as the moon reflects the sun’s light. I want to be the best worker with the highest degree of integrity and character. I want to be the same in public as I am in private. I want to be the same person to my friends and family that I am to people I am meeting for the first time.

What are some ways we can reflect Christ in our vocations?

So what is your personal brand? If someone were to ask you, how would you describe your brand? I’d love to hear your thoughts – just click on “Leave a comment” on the upper left hand side of the home page.